Hafez al-Assad vs Pietro Badoglio

Hafez al-Assad, then Minister of Defense, launched a bloodless intra-party coup known as the Corrective Movement on November 13, 1970. He ousted the civilian leadership of the Ba'ath Party, assumed the presidency, and established an authoritarian regime dominated by the Alawite minority.

Assad coordinated with Egypt's Anwar Sadat to launch a surprise attack on Israel on October 6, 1973. Syrian forces advanced into the Golan Heights but were repelled by Israeli counterattacks. The war ended with a ceasefire, and Syria failed to regain the Golan Heights.

Assad sent Syrian troops into Lebanon to intervene in the civil war, initially against Palestinian and leftist forces. The Syrian military remained in Lebanon for 29 years, exerting political and military control. The intervention solidified Syria's dominance over Lebanese affairs.

Assad ordered the Syrian army to besiege and bombard the city of Hama to suppress an Islamist uprising led by the Muslim Brotherhood. Over several weeks, between 10,000 and 40,000 civilians were killed, and large parts of the city were destroyed. The massacre ended armed opposition for decades.

Badoglio, as a general, commanded the Italian capture of Mount Sabotino during the Sixth Battle of the Isonzo. The victory was a significant tactical success, but Badoglio's later role in the disastrous Battle of Caporetto overshadowed it.

Badoglio commanded the Italian Second Army during the Battle of Caporetto, where Austro-German forces broke through Italian lines. His failure to prepare defenses led to a catastrophic defeat, with over 300,000 Italian casualties and a retreat to the Piave River.

After the Grand Council of Fascism deposed Mussolini, King Victor Emmanuel III appointed Badoglio as Prime Minister. Badoglio secretly negotiated an armistice with the Allies, which was announced on September 8, 1943, leading to German occupation of Italy.

Badoglio signed the Armistice of Cassibile with the Allies on September 3, 1943, ending Italy's war with the Allies. The armistice was kept secret until September 8, causing chaos as German forces swiftly occupied northern and central Italy.