War in Val D'Orcia, 1943-1944 Setting & Symbolism

War in Val D'Orcia, 1943-1944 Objects/Places

World War II

This war, fought in the years 1939 and 1945, engaged the military forces of the entire international community ranged, for the most part, in one of two camps, the so-called Allies and Axis (see below). The conflicts in the narrative can be seen as a micro-cosmic manifestation of the larger conflict - in other words, the conflict between life-preserving humanism and life-destroying dictatorship.

The Allies

The Allied forces in World War II were led by Great Britain, America, and Russia. The social, political and moral philosophies of these three nations were, for the most part, grounded in democracy of the sort despised by the Axis powers.

The Axis

The Axis forces in World War II were led by Germany, Italy and Japan, whose philosophies and practices were grounded in fascism (see below).

Fascism

Fascism, as a social/political movement, was (and continues to be) grounded in the principles of racial and/or ethnic superiority, of absolute...
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