In July 1943, Mussolini is deposed by more moderate Italian Fascists and taken to a secret location. A weak government under Italy’s king wants to make peace with the Allies. On the surface, the Allies should be celebrating. But in London, Winston Churchill is troubled.
With Mussolini gone, there is nothing to stop Italy’s Communists forming a Bolshevik government in the north. From there, they’re one move away from joining up with French Communists in southern France and Tito’s Communists in Yugoslavia. If Stalin joins them, suddenly the Communists will control the whole of Southern Europe.
It’s an unbeatable nightmare scenario. The stakes could not be higher. Lose Southern Europe to Stalin, the Allies lose the war in Europe.
Churchill attempts a desperate gamble. The only thing that can head off the Communists takeover is to put Mussolini back in power. But naturally, Churchill cannot be seen to arrange such a thing.
Hitler, though…
Could Churchill’s agents persuade Hitler’s forces to rescue Mussolini without tipping their hand? They’re about to try.
Churchill sends in his top Italian SOE agent, Major George Huntington on a secret mission to Rome. The mission: spread the rumour that Churchill wants Mussolini found and put on trial in London for war crimes.
When the Gestapo hear these rumours, they inform Hitler. Hitler, enraged, sends his top paratroop commander, General Kurt Student to Italy to find Mussolini, rescue him and put him back in power.
The fate of the future now sits on the shoulders of two men: Huntington and Student, opposing bishops in a game of secret international chess.
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