Romano Giovanucci

Romano Giovanucci (Anzio, 19 June 1881 - Present) is an Italian member of the Chamber of Deputies, member of the Fascist Party and military officer. Romano is best known for his achievements in the Great War and the Italo-Turkish war, his affiliation with the Fascist Party and his hatred of socialism and the political left.

He is currently serving a life sentence, being charged with treason.

Biography
Romano was born on the 19th of June in 1881, in the town of Anzio, roughly 50 km south of Rome. His father, Giuseppe Giovanucci, was a respected lawyer. Romano spent most of his youth in his hometown, and attended school there. When he finished secondary education, Romano attended the military college in Rome.

China
After receiving his commission, Romano became a second lieutenant of the Italian infantry in 1900. His first assignment was in Qing China, during the Boxer Rebellion. His performance was, according to his superiors, "very promising," and he was promoted to first lieutenant after the war ended in 1901. Romano returned to Italy in July 1902, shortly after his 21st birthday.

Italo-Turkish war
During the 1900's, Romano spent most of his time on duty in Italian Africa, only coming back to Italy while on leave. In 1911, during the Italo-Turkish war, Romano proved himself as a capable officer multiple times, gaining fame throughout the Italian battalions. He was very well-respected amongst both his peers and his superiors, which led to his promotion to captain in the end of the year.

The annexation of Libya led some nationalists to advocate for Italy's occupation of Greece and Austro-Hungarian Dalmatia. Romano was a staunch supporter of these ideas. He, however, also believed that the government was too weak to solidify these ambitions. During the war, Romano learned that many anti-war protests had taken place back home in Italy, mainly organized by the Italian Socialist party. Romano believed that these protests were "a crime against the Italian nation and people."

After returning home in 1912, Romano became an anti-socialist, and he was notorious for his hatred of, in particular, pacifist socialists, who he saw as "weak-minded idealists, truly a threat to Italian unity and supremacy." Romano was a nationalist first and foremost and hoped to see Italy expand its influence in southern Europe and the Mediterannean, in particular by taking Austro-Hungarian Tyrol, Trieste and Dalmatia.

Great War
Following the outbreak of war in Europe in July of 1914, Romano was among the many to celebrate the outbreak of war. Italy would, however, not join until May 1915. When Italy did join the war, captain Romano Giovanucci was sent to the Alps.

It was here where he truly distinguished himself as a commanding officer. He would be known to hold speeches in front of his men in order to improve their morale in the prelude of a battle. He participated in the first five battles of the Isonzo, after which he was promoted to colonel. He then spent most of his time inspecting garrisons and improving local defenses and morale. These defenses, in fact, played a detrimental role in the Italian victory at the First Battle of Piave. It was around this time when Romano began showing racist tendencies towards Slovenian refugees that were residing in Italian refugee camps, because they had been displaced by the fighting along the Isonzo river. Nonetheless, the name of Romano Giovanucci inspired Italian troops all along the front.

After having participated in the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, in which the Austro-Hungarians were decisively defeated, which led to an armistice being signed, Romano and the rest of the Italian army marched into Austro-Hungarian Littoral and Dalmatia. When he returned home in November 1918, after the Central powers had been officially defeated, Romano was promoted to Brigadier General.

After the war
When he returned home, Giovanucci decided to use his influence and respect amongst his peers to join politics and he joined the Combatants' Party, a nationalist party that wanted to protect the interest of veterans. However, he was quickly drawn into the ideology of the Italian Fasci of Combat led by Benito Mussolini, which he joined in early 1919. He became a member of the chamber of deputies, representing Mussolini's party. He also became the head of Rome's garrison. He used this position to crack down on socialist sympathizers, often participating in home raids, where he arrested and sometimes killed many "revolutionaries". He also ordered the arrest of the "Il Piacere" bar's owner in Rome.

Arrest
In July 1919, Romano held a speech in the Piazza Colonna, campaigning for the fascist party. However, a crowd of socialist counter-demonstrators soon approached and started clashing with Giovanucci's listeners. Giovanucci himself was dragged down into the fighting, but crawled out after sustaining a few bruises. In his rage, he ordered nearby soldiers to fire into the crowd, despite the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior ordering him not to. The soldiers were reluctant to fire, but after a gunshot was heard from the crowd, the soldiers, who thought they were taking fire, shot their rifles into the crowd. The protesters soon dispersed, and Romano fled into the army post, accompanied by soldiers loyal to him. After about an hour had passed, the Prime Minister promised a reward to anyone that brought in Giovanucci. This led some low ranking soldiers to turn on the general, as they subdued him and threw him outside. Police quickly arrested the general, and after a brief conversation with the Prime Minister, the general was transported away.

Romano Giovanucci is currently serving a life sentence for his treason against the Italian state. Normally, execution would be the punishment, but because of Giovanucci's deeds for the Italian state in the past he was given a lighter punishment.

In December 1920, Giovanucci published his autobiography, titled "Il Martire dell'Italia" (The Martyr of Italy). It focuses on his history as an officer in the Italian army, his hate of leftism, and his admiration of Italian nationalism.

Works
Il Miatere dell'Italia (The Martyr of Italy) - Published December 1920.