Giovanni Esposito (

Loreto Aprutino Loreto Aprutino ( Abruzzese: ') is a ''comune'' and town in the Province of Pescara in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. History The presence of necropoleis at Colle-Fiorano and at Farina-Cardito suggest that a significant pre-Roman settlement ...

, May 18, 1882 –

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, June 3, 1958) was an Italian general during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and a recipient of the

Gold Medal of Military Valor The Gold Medal of Military Valour ( it, Medaglia d'oro al valor militare) is an Italian medal established on 21 May 1793 by King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia for deeds of outstanding gallantry in war by junior officers and soldiers. The fac ...

. He commanded the 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria" in 1941–1942, and the territorial defense of

Trieste Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into provi ...

from 1943 to 1945, joining the

Italian Social Republic The Italian Social Republic ( it, Repubblica Sociale Italiana, ; RSI), known as the National Republican State of Italy ( it, Stato Nazionale Repubblicano d'Italia, SNRI) prior to December 1943 but more popularly known as the Republic of Salò ...

Biography

Early years

Esposito was born in

on May 18, 1882, the son of Giovanni Esposito di Zopito and Apollonia Acerbo. He enlisted in the

Royal Italian Army The Royal Italian Army ( it, Regio Esercito, , Royal Army) was the land force of the Kingdom of Italy, established with the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy. During the 19th century Italy started to unify into one country, and in 1861 Manfre ...

as a trainee

sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

assigned to the 36th Infantry Regiment. On October 31, 1904 he entered the Royal

Military Academy of Modena The Military Academy of Modena ( it, Accademia militare di Modena) is a military university in Modena, northern Italy. Located in the Palazzo Ducale in the historic center of the city, it was the first such military institution to be created in ...

and on September 14, 1906 he was appointed

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

, assigned to the

5th Alpini Regiment The 5th Alpini Regiment ( it, 5° Reggimento Alpini) is a regiment of the Italian Army's mountain infantry speciality, the Alpini, which distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II. The regiment is based in Sterzing and assi ...

, where he was promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

in September 1909. After the outbreak of the Italo-Turkish war, on December 16, 1911 he landed in Derna with the "Edolo" Alpini Battalion, leading a

bayonet charge A bayonet (from French ) is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on the end of the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar firearm, allowing it to be used as a spear-like weapon.Brayley, Martin, ''Bayonets: An Illustra ...

. During a battle on December 27, while marching to re-enter the redoubts, he went back alone to rescue a wounded Alpino who was about to be captured by the enemy. During the battle of March 3, 1912 near the "Lombardia" redoubt, his battalion withstood an assault by superior Turkish-Arab forces; he distinguished himself during this action, keeping fighting even after being wounded in the leg and until he was hit again in the

abdomen The abdomen (colloquially called the belly, tummy, midriff, tucky or stomach) is the part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis, in humans and in other vertebrates. The abdomen is the front part of the abdominal segment of the torso. ...

. For this he was awarded the

. After recovering from his wounds, in October 1913 he began to attend the Army School of War, and was then promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

and assigned to the

2nd Alpini Regiment The 2nd Alpini Regiment ( it, 2° Reggimento Alpini) is a regiment of the Italian Army's mountain infantry speciality, the Alpini, which distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II. The regiment was disbanded in 1943 due t ...

World War I

After the entry of the Kingdom of Italy into the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

on May 24, 1915, he distinguished himself with his regiment on the Croda Rossa, earning a Bronze Medal of Military Valor in the July, and on October 12 he was awarded another Bronze Medal for his behaviour during a heavy

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

shelling. He was then promoted to

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

and attached to the command of the 31st Division, and during 1917 he distinguished himself on the

Isonzo front The Battles of the Isonzo (known as the Isonzo Front by historians, sl, soška fronta) were a series of 12 battles between the Austro-Hungarian and Italian armies in World War I mostly on the territory of present-day Slovenia, and the remaind ...

, being decorated with a third Bronze Medal for Military Valor for his role in destroying a bridge on the Isonzo during the retreat that followed the Battle of Caporetto. During the

Second Battle of the Piave River The Second Battle of the Piave River, fought between 15 and 23 June 1918, was a decisive victory for the Italian Army against the Austro-Hungarian Empire during World War I. Though the battle proved to be a decisive blow to the Austro-Hungaria ...

he earned a War Cross for Military Valor.

Interwar years

After the war he joined the staff officer corps, and after promotion to

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

he assumed command of the 56th Infantry Regiment "Marche", subsequently transferring to that of the

8th Alpini Regiment The 8th Alpini Regiment ( it, 8° Reggimento Alpini) is a regiment of the Italian Army's mountain infantry speciality, the Alpini, which distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II. As of 2022 the regiment is assigned to ...

deployed on the eastern frontier, and from January to September 1936 he commanded the Zara garrison (''Comando Truppe del Presidio di Zara''). From 1937, having been promoted to

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

for exceptional merit, he assumed command of the 28th Infantry Division "Vespri", and in 1939, after a period in command of the

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

Corps of the '' Guardia alla Frontiera'', he transferred to that of the newly formed 57th Infantry Division "Lombardia", stationed in

Pola Pola or POLA may refer to: People *House of Pola, an Italian noble family *Pola Alonso (1923–2004), Argentine actress *Pola Brändle (born 1980), German artist and photographer *Pola Gauguin (1883–1961), Danish painter *Pola Gojawiczyńska (18 ...

World War II

In May 1940 he was promoted to

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

and on January 14, 1941 he was appointed commander of the 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria", fighting in the

Greek campaign The German invasion of Greece, also known as the Battle of Greece or Operation Marita ( de , Unternehmen Marita, links = no), was the attack of Greece by Italy and Germany during World War II. The Italian invasion in October 1940, which is usu ...

, relieving General Amedeo De Cia. He led the division during the harsh winter spent on the Tomorr, the bloody fighting on Mali Spadarit and Selami, and finally the advance into Greek territory towards

Konitsa Konitsa ( el, Κόνιτσα; see also names in other languages) is a town of Ioannina in Epirus, Greece. It is located north of the capital Ioannina and near the Albanian border. Northeast of Konitsa lies a group of villages known as the Zagoro ...

at the end of the campaign; for this he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the

Military Order of Savoy The Military Order of Savoy was a military honorary order of the Kingdom of Sardinia first, and of the Kingdom of Italy later. Following the abolition of the Italian monarchy, the order became the Military Order of Italy. History The origin of ...

. In July 1941 the "Pusteria" were transferred to

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...

, participating in the repression of the

uprising Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

that had broken out at dawn on July 14. The division went into action on July 16, together with

Blackshirt The Voluntary Militia for National Security ( it, Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale, MVSN), commonly called the Blackshirts ( it, Camicie Nere, CCNN, singular: ) or (singular: ), was originally the paramilitary wing of the Nation ...

units, attacking the partisan stronghold of Linbotin. The repression was brutal, leading to the rapid capitulation of the rebels. The columns of the Alpini and other Italian units fought relentlessly between the

Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to t ...

and

Lake Scutari Lake Skadar ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Скадарско језеро, Skadarsko jezero, ; sq, Liqeni i Shkodrës, ) also called Lake Scutari, Lake Shkodër and Lake Shkodra lies on the border of Albania and Montenegro, and is the largest lake in Southern ...

, and in a few days the encircled garrisons were freed and roads made safe. The "Pusteria" then set up headquarters in

Pljevlja Pljevlja ( srp, Пљевља, ) is a town and the center of Pljevlja Municipality located in the northern part of Montenegro. The town lies at an altitude of . In the Middle Ages, Pljevlja had been a crossroad of the important commercial roads and ...

, where in early December 1941 in the

Battle of Pljevlja The Battle of Pljevlja (1-2 December 1941), was a World War II attack in the Italian governorate of Montenegro by Yugoslav Partisans under the command of General Arso Jovanović and Colonel Bajo Sekulić, who led 4,000 Montenegrin Partisans agai ...

it repelled a heavy partisan attack led by Arso Jovanović. Esposito decided to punish population, especially

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

population, for supporting the uprising in order to prevent future uprisings. Destruction of partisan controlled civilian objects in

, killing of all partisans but 2, executing citizens for smallest suspicion(31 executed, 30 were Orthodox, 1 was

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

) and reprisals in near-by villages are clear proof of this.Милутин Живковић - Санџак 1941-1943, Belgrade 2017 p.344 In April 1942, to effectively counter the escalation in attacks carried out by the

Yugoslav partisans The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene: , or the National Liberation Army, sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska (NOV), Народноослободилачка војска (НОВ); mk, Народноослобод ...

, the command of the Italian 2nd Army conducted a joint "police" operation with the German Command in Yugoslavia, codenamed

Operation Trio Operation Trio ( sh-Latn, Operacija Trio) was the first large-scale joint German-Italian counter-insurgency operation of World War II conducted in the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), which included modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was c ...

, in

Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and He ...

. During this operation, the "Pusteria" participated in bitter fighting against the partisans in the Drina region. After the end of the operation, Esposito was repatriated with his division, awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valor, and transferred to the Army reserve on May 18, 1942, but appointed Inspector of the Alpine Troops in

. In May 1943, with the worsening of the Italian war situation, he was assigned the Territorial Defense Command of

, of which he became commander in July. At the time of the proclamation of the

Armistice of Cassibile The Armistice of Cassibile was an armistice signed on 3 September 1943 and made public on 8 September between the Kingdom of Italy and the Allies during World War II. It was signed by Major General Walter Bedell Smith for the Allies and Brig ...

on September 8, 1943, the Julian March was defended by the XXIII Army Corps of General Alberto Ferrero, who refused to fight against the Germans, declaring Trieste indefensible. Ferrero transferred his command to Cervignano, leaving Esposito in command of Trieste, which was occupied by German troops without opposition. At 18:00 on September 10, Esposito signed the transfer of civil and military powers to the German Operational Zone of the Adriatic Littoral at his headquarters in Villa Necker. He later joined the

, retaining command of the territorial defense of Trieste and being appointed regional commander of the

National Republican Army The National Republican Army (Esercito Nazionale Repubblicano, or ENR) was the army of the Italian Social Republic ( it, Repubblica Sociale Italiana, or RSI) from 1943 to 1945 that fought on the side of Nazi Germany during World War II. The ENR ...

(204th Regional Military Command).

Trial, imprisonment and later years

After the war, with the occupation of Trieste by the

Allies An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

, Esposito was immediately imprisoned, undergoing his first interrogation by the Allied Police Command on June 14, 1945. He was then tried for

collaboration Collaboration (from Latin ''com-'' "with" + ''laborare'' "to labor", "to work") is the process of two or more people, entities or organizations working together to complete a task or achieve a goal. Collaboration is similar to cooperation. Most ...

; the trial took place between April and May 1946, and after eight sessions he was sentenced to thirty years in prison. Due to the changed political situation, the

Allied Military Government The Allied Military Government of Occupied Territories (originally abbreviated AMGOT, later AMG) was the form of military rule administered by Allied forces during and after World War II within European territories they occupied. Notable AMGOT ...

decided to transfer all Italian political prisoners to the Supreme Military Court of Rome. Esposito was therefore transferred to the Civitavecchia prison. In December 1948 the Court of Cassation halved his sentence to fifteen years in prison. He was released in January 1949 following the

Togliatti amnesty The Togliatti amnesty ( it, Amnistia Togliatti) was an amnesty declared in Italy on 22 June 1946. Named after the then- Italian Minister of Justice, Italian Communist Party member Palmiro Togliatti, it pardoned and reduced sentences for Italian fa ...

, and retired to private life. His name was included in a list of war criminals wanted by Yugoslavia, but he was never extradited.The Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects, Consolidated Wanted Lists (1947), Naval & University Press, Uckfield 2005; Part 2 - Non-Germans only, pp. 60 and 62 (facsimile of the original document at the National Archives in Kew/London). Having been reinstated in his rank in 1956, he died in Rome on June 3, 1958.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Esposito, Giovanni 1882 births 1958 deaths Italian military personnel of World War II Italian military personnel of World War I Italian Social Republic Italian generals Recipients of the Gold Medal of Military Valor Recipients of the Silver Medal of Military Valor Recipients of the Bronze Medal of Military Valor War criminals