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What happened on April 28th?
Italian fascist leader met his fate
Matthew Jones
April 28, 2025
1945 Benito Mussolini Is Executed by Italian Partisans
On April 28th, 1945, Benito Mussolini was captured by Italian partisans while attempting to flee to Switzerland and was executed in northern Italy. Mussolini’s death marked the final chapter of fascist rule in Italy and occurred just days before the end of World War II in Europe.
The photo shows the bodies of Benito Mussolini, his mistress Claretta Petacci, and other executed fascists displayed in Milan's Piazzale Loreto. This was the same location where, a year earlier, the fascists had hung the bodies of fifteen Milanese civilians in retaliation for resistance activities. The photograph, taken by Vincenzo Carrese, shows the bodies from left to right: General Giuseppe Gelormini, Benito Mussolini, Claretta Petacci, Alessandro Pavolini, and Achille Starace.
🗞️Today’s Headlines
Everything important that’s ever happened on April 28:
2004 — CBS broadcast images revealing the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by US military personnel at Abu Ghraib prison, igniting international outrage.
2003 — Apple launched the iTunes Store, revolutionizing the music industry by allowing users to purchase and download songs directly to their devices.
2001 — Dennis Tito became the first space tourist when he traveled to the International Space Station aboard a Russian spacecraft, paying $20 million for the journey.
1969 — Charles de Gaulle resigned as president of France after losing a referendum on constitutional reform, marking the end of his leadership.
1967 — Muhammad Ali refused to be drafted into the US Army, citing his religious beliefs and opposition to the Vietnam War, leading to his suspension from boxing.
1952 — The Allied occupation of Japan officially ended following a seven-year period of rebuilding and transformation after Japan’s WWII surrender.
🎂 Today’s Birthdays
On April 28, we’re singing to:
James Monroe (1758) — 5th president of the United States, known for the Monroe Doctrine, which shaped American foreign policy in the 19th century.
Harper Lee (1926) — American writer best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which explores racial injustice in the South.
Saddam Hussein (1937) — President of Iraq known for his controversial and brutal regime, which ended with the 2003 invasion by a US-led coalition.
Terry Pratchett (1948) — English author celebrated for his Discworld series, which blends fantasy with satirical commentary.
Penélope Cruz (1974) — Spanish actress acclaimed for her roles in films such as Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Volver.
🪦Who Died Today?
On April 28, we’re saying goodbye to:
Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (1754) — Italian Baroque painter known for his emotive religious works and contributions to Venetian painting.
Gavrilo Princip (1918) — Slavic nationalist infamous for assassinating Archduke Franz Ferdinand, an event that sparked World War I.
Francis Bacon (1992) — British painter renowned for his raw, emotional, and often grotesque depictions of the human form.
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