BADOGLIO, PIETRO

born Sept. 28, 1871, Grazzano Monferrato, Italy

died Nov. 1, 1956, Grazzano Badoglio

Italian general and politician.

An army officer, he served as chief of the general staff in 1919–21 and again in 1925–28 and was made a field marshal in 1926. He governed Libya (1928–34) and commanded the Italian forces in Ethiopia (1935–36). In 1940 he resigned as chief of staff in disagreement with Benito Mussolini , and in 1943 he helped organize Mussolini's downfall. As prime minister (1943–44), Badoglio extricated Italy from World War II by arranging for an armistice with the Allies.