“Who then are the traitors? The unconditional surrender announced on September 8 was desired by the monarchy, by court circles, by the plutocratic currents of the Italian bourgeoisie, by certain clerical forces—who allied for the occasion with Masonic ones—and by the General Staff which no longer believed in victory and which were headed by Badoglio. As early as May, more precisely on May 15, the ex-King noted in his diary—which has recently come into our possession—that one must "disengage" from the German alliance. Without a shadow of doubt, it was the ex-King who ordered the surrender, and Badoglio who carried it out. But in order to get to September 8, there first had to be a July 25—i.e., the coup d'etat and the regime change.”
- Benito Mussolini, Teatro Lirico in Milan (December 16, 1944)