Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini's declaration of war on Britain during World War II. A crowd assembled in Venice, Italy to hear the dictator's declaration of war. Dictator Benito Mussolini speaks from a balcony flanked by banners and large fasces (symbol of Fascism). Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie saluting in Ethiopia before Italian annexation of the country.
War damaged buildings in Venice, Italy after World War II. Aerial view of a harbor in Venice. A sunken ship off the harbor of Venice. Damaged buildings and ruins. A man near wreckage. Men in boats. A man rows a boat under a bridge. Containers carried on a boat. American soldiers aboard a gondola. The Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute (Dorsoduro, 1, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy) is seen nearby. Allied soldiers on leave ride a motorboat around Venice. The United States flag hangs in front of a building. Gondoliers are rowing gondolas with United States troops and boats carrying barrels. St. Mark's Campanile at St. Mark's Basilica on Piazza San Marco (P.za San Marco, 30100 Venezia VE, Italy). View of the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale, P.za San Marco, 1, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy). People including two soldiers feed pigeons.
Scenes of Venice at end of World War 2, in Europe. Closeup of Gondolier propelling boat with his pole. View of two men and a wo man, passengers in a gondola, propelled by two gondoliers, one in front and one in the rear. It passes by walled gardens in background. A group of passengers in a large gondola, with two gondoliers, passing by striped poles along edge of the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. A steel bridge spanning across the canal. A motorboat passes, filled with armed Italian Partisans, flying an Italian flag. Gondola containing several British 8th Army men looking up at sights. View of Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute (Basilica of Saint Mary of Health).British soldiers standing on pavement in front of the Basilica with two Italian children beside them. A hotel displaying British and American flags. (The stars on the American flag are not configured correctly. It was probably locally made.) British soldiers at another hotel, next door, called "Grande Albergo." They relax on patio in the sun. One distributes mail to the others.
British troops of the Eight Army on vacation in Venice at the end of World War 2 (Europe). On leave British soldiers fill several gondolas for rides along the canals of Venice. A British soldier on the gondola salutes to the camera while another soldier flashes the “V” sign. A smiling British soldier waves at the camera before giving a thumbs up. Italian gondoliers stand in the rear of each boat and propel and maneuver them with long poles. British soldiers riding a gondola in the Grand Canal. The Palazzo Giustinian and Ca’ Foscari University of Venice are seen behind the British soldiers in the Grand Canal. Views of buildings along the canals and of bridge under which the boats pass. Another segment shows a steam-powered tour boat moving rapidly along a canal. In change of scene, shot from a gondola, Italian civilians are seen standing in a large gondola water taxi moving along a canal. Italians are also seen seated in a normal size gondola underway. More views of buildings lining canals, including the Hotel Canal Grande (Campiello S. Simeone Grande, 932, 30135 Venezia VE, Italy). Another gondola carrying three British soldiers, passes the camera. A large, powered tour boat passes, with Allied troops aboard, flying the American flag.