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Lelio Lagorio, L'ora di Austerlitz - 1980: la svolta
che mut� l'Italia. Quando il nostro paese sal� alla
ribalta internazionale e le forze armate ridestarono
l'orgoglio nazionale. Prefazione di Enzo Bettiza. "Il
rapporto Lagorio". Edizioni Polistampa, Firenze, 2005, pp.
416 con 38 documenti e 104 illustrazioni.
L'ora di Austerlitz � un
tempo, il tempo in cui l'Italia conquista un posto di primo
piano nella politica mondiale e riscopre l'orgoglio
nazionale. Sono i primi Anni Ottanta e l'Autore ne rievoca i
momenti pi� rilevanti con una impostazione totalmente
nuova. In questo "rapporto Lagorio", infatti, le
forze armate appaiono in una luce del tutto insolita per la
pubblicistica italiana; gli uomini della Difesa sono qui
protagonisti attivi della svolta che mut� il Paese alla
vigilia del tramonto della Prima Repubblica. Questa �
dunque una storia - eccezionale perch� mai raccontata in
questo modo - di alcuni anni cruciali della nostra vita
nazionale visti e vissuti da una postazione di rilievo
straordinario. Il libro si conclude con un avviso ammonitore
alla politica di oggi. Molte cose sono cadute - scrive
l'Autore - ma Austerlitz � sempre possibile, non �
soltanto una vittoria del passato. L'illustre scrittore Enzo
Bettiza, dopo aver letto il manoscritto di Lagorio, ha
voluto dettarne la prefazione. E' uno spaccato - scrive - di
anni di fuoco, crisi, ristrutturazioni e revisioni; � un
rapporto che ci fa capire quanto l'Italia con la sua
politica indipendentista ma radicata nell'Occidente abbia
contato quale protagonista di prima fila in un momento
risolutivo della storia del mondo.
In copertina. Giacomo Balla, Bandiere all'altare della
patria (1915). La
rivista "Forum Italicum. Journal of Italian Studies"
pubblicata dalla State University of New York at Stony Brook, nel suo numero
della Primavera 2007, ha dedicato a "L'Ora di Austerlitz"
una lunga recensione a firma della prof. Letizia Argenteri
della Universit� San Diego Mesa College in California.
If it is not unusual for former politicians to write their
memoirs, it is less usual to do so with such a candid heart
and mind as this author did. Lelio Lagorio, Secretary of
Defense from 1980 to 1983, the first socialist ever to cover
that role, has a long history of public offices in the
Italian arena. In 1965 he was mayor of Florence; from 1970
to 1978, president of the Tuscan Region; from 1979 to 1990,
deputy of the Parliament, and from 1989 to 1994, deputy of
the European Parliament. In November, 1990, he received a
Ph.D. Honoris Causa in International Relations from UCSD
(University of California in San Diego). A very eclectic
writer, he is at ease with many subjects and various
approaches: the history of a small Tuscan town, Volterra,
modeled on the French Annals School; the story of a colorful
anarchist group of primitive rebels who charm the readers;
and, the controversial issue of the dissolution of the PSI (Italian
Socialist Party) in the 1980s, just to name some.
L�ora di Austerlitz is an impressive book that justifies an
impressive title, evoking Napoleon�s smashing victory over
the combined armies of Austria and Russia on December 2,
1805. (For one of those ironies of history, the author
himself was born on November 9, or, 18 Brumaire, thereby
linking his fate twice to Napoleon.)
Built on the solid bases of
primary sources, and around quite complex issues, the book
finds its balance between text and documents, including a
rich iconographic body. Lagorio considers the organization
of the army as a challenging mandate. The military � he
believes � is a vital aspect of national politics. Thus, it
should be incorporated in national politics; it cannot live
outside of them, and must play an active role in the life of
the nation, which includes making the army less stagnant and
more visible in the popular media, as well. All this
required a totally pristine approach. First of all, it was
necessary to debunk the belief that the ideals of socialism
and nation are incompatible, since socialism was seen as a
party of opposition, not of unity. A very perceptive man, at
this juncture, Lagorio, who is vocal but never opinionated,
coined the successful formula �tricolor socialism,� a
brand-new concept with which to keep intact the mystique de
la Patrie. Patriotism has neither color nor affiliation.
Therefore, it is not the monopoly of one party or one group.
Fully aware of the huge gap existing between the military
and the political worlds, the author did not give up on a
dialogue, from which both camps would draw benefit. In this
he was supported by a political giant, Sandro Pertini, the
president of the Republic, and former resistance partisan
with an indomitable sense of duty.
When Lagorio took the position of Secretary of Defense in
1980, the issues were many and all important � the role of
women in the military, the soldiers� unions, the opening of
barracks to the public, the abolishment of the death penalty
in the penal military code, the role of the Gladio, that is,
paramilitary groups introduced during the coldest period of
the cold war, but scarcely reconcilable with the Italian
Constitution. A few strategies had to be reconsidered and
altered, since they addressed the vital problem of security.
But the basic issues were the modernization of the army and
its redefinition in the changing political identity.
Moreover, the introduction of Euro-missiles placed Italy in
a strategic position, which was unthinkable until then.
The part of the book dealing with the diplomatic corps and
various leaders (such as the colorful Dom Mintoff, from
Malta) is quite interesting. We are briefed on the role kept
by Italy vis-�-vis its allies. Regarding NATO, Lagorio�s
statement is clear: of the two faces, desperation and hope,
Italy was always attuned to the latter, since �peace is a
precious item.� Relations with the U.S. appear fragile at
times; the American military tends to be didactic-oriented,
almost paternalistic, even ready to surpass the political
world for a military beau geste. Quite different are the
European allies, France and Germany, while Great Britain was
still an empire in spirit � a declining empire perhaps, but
still one.
Sometimes the military forces are severely tested by nature
(the earthquake
in southern Italy in November, 1980, for example), or
challenged by a political scandal, the P2. The Ustica case,
a drama never solved, will explode later in all its dramatic
reality.
The Lebanon expedition, in the summer and fall of 1982, was
by far the jewel in the crown of the Italian army. One can
detect a well deserved pride in the author�s words. The
expedition succeeded in giving Italy a new role in
international affairs, and in raising the self-esteem of the
army, which had been often mocked by a vicious campaign in
the English press. However, this condescending attitude
would soon change, because the very same press later had to
recognize the merit of the Italian army.
The second part of the book consists of primary sources:
speeches, articles and correspondence. Lagorio�s human side
here comes alive. His words are always appropriate, to the
point, and never superfluous nor rhetorical. He talks in
terms of �shared memory,� or �ferocious Nazi cruelty,�
always aware of the duality of memory and history. The
heroes are identified as �silent guardians of a free Italy.�
Sometimes he is sober, as the topic requires a certain
gravitas. Thus, at the Ardeatine Caves, he states that: �in
front of the great shadows of the dead, all the Italians,
regardless of age, rank or ideology, still bow with
reverence.� He reminds the newly drafted men that: �Italy is
not an abstract concept, and that its improvement depends
solely on us.�
L�ora di Austerlitz is a well crafted book, replete with
information and ideas, and can be a point of reference for
scholars, as well as for the general public. From the very
beginning, the reader has the impression that for Lagorio
the reorganization of the army was not just a �job,� or a �duty,�
but a vital part of his life � the best legacy a minister
can leave to his country.
The book was awarded the Fiorino d�oro, whose monetary prize
the author graciously allocated to the fund for the families
of the Italian soldiers killed by terrorists in Nassirya, in
November, 2003, a noble gesture that closes a career of
public service with great dignity. A Lelio Lagorio per "L'Ora di
Austerlitz" � stato assegnato il "Fiorino d'Oro", Primo
Premio per la saggistica (XXIV Edizione del Premio
Letterario "Firenze" - Firenze, Palazzo della Signoria, 2
dicembre 2006). L'Autore ha devoluto l'assegno del Premio al
fondo nazionale per le famiglie dei soldati italiani caduti
a Nassiriya.
MOTIVAZIONE del PREMIO.
Scritto in una prosa sobria e misurata, il volume da un lato
costituisce, in quanto testimonianza di un ex ministro della
Difesa, una fonte primaria sulla storia della prima
Repubblica, dall'altro sviluppa una tesi originale. In base
ad essa, nell'Italia dei primi anni Ottanta, sarebbe
maturata una svolta sia della vita nazionale, con la
riscoperta dell'orgoglio patriottico in coincidenza della
missione militare in Libano, sia delle relazioni
internazionali, con l'installazione degli euromissili che
favor� il processo di implosione dell'Unione Sovietica.
Oltre a rendere omaggio al ministro della Difesa socialista
che ebbe il coraggio di onorare i "leoni di El Alamein", la
Giuria del Premio Firenze ha inteso premiare un contribuito
imprescindibile per l'interpretazione di una stagione della
storia italiana - quella del "socialismo tricolore" e della
crisi del compromesso storico - ancora in attesa di un
sereno giudizio critico.
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