ITALY: Butcher, Remember

When Allied armies were slowly advancing up the leg of Italy in 1944, a partisan leader took over the little northern town of Crevacuore, some 50 miles from Turin. A longtime underground Communist, Aurelio Bussi was a carpenter by trade. He proved thoroughgoing in meting out justice. He ordered the summary execution of 80 townspeople, some Fascists, some not. He once dragged a local doctor away from his Christmas dinner to be killed, personally shot one man and his 16-year-old daughter. He was in a position to settle personal scores. One morning in July 1944, Bussi entered the home...

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