Sullen Romans watched Fascisti parade. Gestapomen watched the Romans. Suddenly a bomb exploded, followed by shots. Men & women fell, including, the Germans said afterward, 24 Gestapomen.
With machine precision the Germans went into action. Troops drove 400 women, 700 men toward an open square. Those who lacked identity cards were shot out of hand. Those who stumbled were killed. Fear swept unchecked through Rome, but this was not enough.
Newsmen in Switzerland reported that the reprisals had just begun. Hours later, according to these reports, vans carried 300 to the ancient, crumbling Colosseum where once gladiators fought and Christians died. They...
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