Guglielmo Nasi
Encyclopedia
Guglielmo Ciro Nasi was an Italian
General who fought in Italian East Africa
during World War II
.
, Latium
. From 1924-1928, he was the military representative of the Italian Regio Esercito (Royal Army) in Paris
.
In 1928, Nasi was sent to the Italian colonies as Chief-of-Staff for the Colonial Troops and was Vice-Governor of Cyrenaica
in 1934-1935, Governor of Harar
from 1936–1939, and Governor of Shewa
in 1939-1940. He also served as a Vice-Governor of Italian East Africa
from 1939. Nasi promoted a moral reformation of the military and civil administration and he showed notable skills in dealing with indigenous chiefs.
In April 1936, during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War
, Nasi commanded the left column of three columns during Generale
Rodolfo Graziani
′s advance on the southern front. Most of Nasi's troops were Libyans.
After the beginning of World War II
, Nasi led the Italian conquest of British Somaliland
in August 1940. He successfully invaded British Somaliland and, with the advantage of air cove and tanks, forced the defending British and Commonwealth forces to evacuate by sea to Aden
.
In early 1941, during the British counter-offensive, Nasi was forced to retreat to the stronghold of Gondar
.
During the East African Campaign
, Nasi led the last stand of an Italian garrison in East Africa
. On 6 July, after Duke Amedeo of Aosta
and Generale Pietro Gazzera
surrendered, Nasi became the acting Viceroy
and Governor-General
of Italian East Africa. While he held out long after other Italian strongholds had fallen, Nasi finally surrendered his stronghold of Gondar on 28 November 1941.
Nasi was sent to Kenya
as a prisoner of war
. After the death of Duke Amedeo, he was responsible for the 60,000 Italian prisoners kept there.
Nasi returned to Italy in 1945. Four years later, he was appointed as Commissar for Somalia when the latter was assigned to United Nations
suzerainty. Nasi died at Modena
in 1971.
n government, Italian historian Angelo del Boca
, usually very severe in judging the behaviour of Italian army in the colonies, considers him the best officer of the Italian Royal Army (Regio Esercito) in East Africa
. Solomon Getahun supports this view of Nasi, noting that his behavior towards the inhabitants of Gondar and the adjoining territories helped him to sustain the fight against both British and Ethiopian forces as long as he did. Near Gondar a mount is still named Mount Nasi.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
General who fought in Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa was an Italian colonial administrative subdivision established in 1936, resulting from the merger of the Ethiopian Empire with the old colonies of Italian Somaliland and Italian Eritrea. In August 1940, British Somaliland was conquered and annexed to Italian East Africa...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Biography
Nasi was born in CivitavecchiaCivitavecchia
Civitavecchia is a town and comune of the province of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it is located 80 kilometers west-north-west of Rome, across the Mignone river. The harbor is formed by two piers and a breakwater, on which is a lighthouse...
, Latium
Latium
Lazio is one of the 20 administrative regions of Italy, situated in the central peninsular section of the country. With about 5.7 million residents and a GDP of more than 170 billion euros, Lazio is the third most populated and the second richest region of Italy...
. From 1924-1928, he was the military representative of the Italian Regio Esercito (Royal Army) in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
In 1928, Nasi was sent to the Italian colonies as Chief-of-Staff for the Colonial Troops and was Vice-Governor of Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
in 1934-1935, Governor of Harar
Harar
Harar is an eastern city in Ethiopia, and the capital of the modern Harari ethno-political division of Ethiopia...
from 1936–1939, and Governor of Shewa
Shewa
Shewa is a historical region of Ethiopia, formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire...
in 1939-1940. He also served as a Vice-Governor of Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa was an Italian colonial administrative subdivision established in 1936, resulting from the merger of the Ethiopian Empire with the old colonies of Italian Somaliland and Italian Eritrea. In August 1940, British Somaliland was conquered and annexed to Italian East Africa...
from 1939. Nasi promoted a moral reformation of the military and civil administration and he showed notable skills in dealing with indigenous chiefs.
In April 1936, during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War
Second Italo-Abyssinian War
The Second Italo–Abyssinian War was a colonial war that started in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war was fought between the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the armed forces of the Ethiopian Empire...
, Nasi commanded the left column of three columns during Generale
Italian Army Ranks
This chart represents the Italian Army rank insignia used on the slip-on of winter service uniforms. The color of the uniforms is khaki.Officers who are assigned to a position acting in a higher rank than their own wear the insignia of the higher rank but the highest star of the insignia is trimmed...
Rodolfo Graziani
Rodolfo Graziani
Rodolfo Graziani, 1st Marquis of Neghelli , was an officer in the Italian Regio Esercito who led military expeditions in Africa before and during World War II.-Rise to prominence:...
′s advance on the southern front. Most of Nasi's troops were Libyans.
After the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Nasi led the Italian conquest of British Somaliland
Italian conquest of British Somaliland
The Italian conquest of British Somaliland was a military campaign in the Horn of Africa, which took place in August 1940 between forces of Italy and those of Great Britain and its Commonwealth...
in August 1940. He successfully invaded British Somaliland and, with the advantage of air cove and tanks, forced the defending British and Commonwealth forces to evacuate by sea to Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
.
In early 1941, during the British counter-offensive, Nasi was forced to retreat to the stronghold of Gondar
Gondar
Gondar or Gonder is a city in Ethiopia, which was once the old imperial capital and capital of the historic Begemder Province. As a result, the old province of Begemder is sometimes referred to as Gondar...
.
During the East African Campaign
East African Campaign (World War II)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
, Nasi led the last stand of an Italian garrison in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
. On 6 July, after Duke Amedeo of Aosta
Amedeo, 3rd Duke of Aosta
Prince Amedeo of Savoy-Aosta was the third Duke of Aosta and a first cousin, once removed of the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III. His baptismal name was Amedeo Umberto Isabella Luigi Filippo Maria Giuseppe Giovanni di Savoia-Aosta...
and Generale Pietro Gazzera
Pietro Gazzera
Pietro Gazzera was an officer in the Italian Royal Army during World War II, as well as a prewar Italian politician....
surrendered, Nasi became the acting Viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
and Governor-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
of Italian East Africa. While he held out long after other Italian strongholds had fallen, Nasi finally surrendered his stronghold of Gondar on 28 November 1941.
Nasi was sent to Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. After the death of Duke Amedeo, he was responsible for the 60,000 Italian prisoners kept there.
Nasi returned to Italy in 1945. Four years later, he was appointed as Commissar for Somalia when the latter was assigned to United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
suzerainty. Nasi died at Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
in 1971.
Aftermath
Although Nasi was listed as a war criminal by the post-war EthiopiaEthiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n government, Italian historian Angelo del Boca
Angelo Del Boca
Angelo Del Boca is an Italian historian and writer. He is specialized in the study of the Italian Colonial Empire, and the involvement in Libya, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia during the first part of 20th century. Del Boca has been the first Italian scholar involved in research on the crimes...
, usually very severe in judging the behaviour of Italian army in the colonies, considers him the best officer of the Italian Royal Army (Regio Esercito) in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
. Solomon Getahun supports this view of Nasi, noting that his behavior towards the inhabitants of Gondar and the adjoining territories helped him to sustain the fight against both British and Ethiopian forces as long as he did. Near Gondar a mount is still named Mount Nasi.
See also
- Second Italo-Abyssinian WarSecond Italo-Abyssinian WarThe Second Italo–Abyssinian War was a colonial war that started in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war was fought between the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the armed forces of the Ethiopian Empire...
- East African Campaign (World War II)East African Campaign (World War II)The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
- Italian conquest of British SomalilandItalian conquest of British SomalilandThe Italian conquest of British Somaliland was a military campaign in the Horn of Africa, which took place in August 1940 between forces of Italy and those of Great Britain and its Commonwealth...
- Battle of GondarBattle of GondarThe Battle of Gondar was the last stand of the Italian forces in Italian East Africa during the Second World War. The battle took place in November 1941, during the East African Campaign...