As regards the event, the historical national context is marked by a watershed: the armistice of Italy and the Allied forces, September 8th, 1943. The bombings of the British air forces (RAF) begin right after the war starts. From July to December 1940 the cities of Turin, La Spezia, Naples and Palermo are hit. During the spring of 1943, in anticipation of the landing of the Anglo-American forces in Sicily, the incursions over Sicily, Naples and many other cities up north were intensified. On July 19th Rome was bombarded for the first time. During this time a lot of people begin what was considered a mass exodus from the target areas to other areas in the country believed to be safer.
Up until now the Italian army has fought abroad, on the French, African, Balkans and Russian fronts. After the landing in Sicily happened on July 10th , along with the moving forward of the front and the retreat of the Germans towards North, the air bombings became more intense and the fighting on land between Germans and Anglo-American forces, as well as the one between the resistance movement and the fascists also increase dramatically. For the civilians this was the worst time of all during the war: a time of bombings, mass rapes, requisitions, evacuations, rounding –ups and retaliations combined with a terrifying track of death which left behind deep traumas in the memories of those who survived.
The bombings continue through spring of 1945, a few following April 25th, the official date of the liberation.