Video: '205 - Mussolini Falls from Power - WW2 - July 30, 1943' (fall of the Fascist regime in Italy at 2:23)

(Sunday, July 25, 1943, Mussolini was arrested at 5:00 p.m. Central European Summer Time; during the fall of the Fascist regime in Italy and Allied invasion of Sicily, part of the Italian Campaign of World War II) — Benito Mussolini was dismissed and placed under arrested today as Prime Minister of Italy, along with the other Fascist Party members of his cabinet, bringing an end to a dictatorship of more than 17 years.

After leaving the meeting of the Fascist Grand Council earlier today, Mussolini reportedly left to award prizes in a farmer’s festival to conduct business as usual.

Video: 'The World at War: Tough Old Gut: Italy - November 1942-June 1944 (13 of 26)' (Allied invasion of Sicily at 12:54)

Count Grandi then reported the Fascist Council decision to King Victor Emmanuel III, who ordered Mussolini to report personally, and then asked the longtime Premier to resign.

When Mussolini asked for more time and left the palace, he was arrested, then driven away to face imprisonment.

Mussolini was replaced by Marshal Pietro Badoglio, who declared his willingness to continue fighting alongside Nazi Germany but would secretly negotiate a surrender to the Allies.