Marocchinate

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Marocchinate (to be Moroccaned) is a nickname that was given to the victims of the alleged mass rape committed after the Battle of Monte Cassino by Goumiers, the colonial troops of Corps Expeditionnaire Français (CEF), commanded by general Alphonse Juin.

Goumiers were colonial irregular troops forming the Goums Marocains, a formation approximately the size of a Division but more loosely organised, which made up the CEF along with 4 other Divisions: the 2nd Moroccan Infantry Division, the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division, the 4th Moroccan Mountain Division and the 1st Free French Division. The Goums Morocains was commanded by General Augustin Guillaume.

On May 14, 1944, the Goumiers travelling over seemingly impassable terrain in the Aurunci Mountains outflanked the German defense in the adjacent Liri valley materially assisting British XIII Corps to break the Gustav Line and advance to the next Wehrmacht prepared defensive position, the Adolf Hitler Line.

The mayor of Esperia (a comune in the Province of Frosinone), reported that in his town, 700 women out of 2,500 inhabitants were raped and that some had died as a result.^{[citation needed]} Later, in northern Latium and southern Tuscany, it is alleged that the Goumiers raped and, occasionally killed, women and young men after the Germans retreated, including members of local anti-fascist partisan formations.^{[citation needed]}

French authorities refute the majority of these claims.

The movie "Two Women (La Ciociara), from a novel by Alberto Moravia, directed by Vittorio de Sica, starring Sophia Loren was inspired by these historical events. The movie won the Academy Award for Best Actress (Sophia Loren). It is the first time an actress won an acting award for a non-English-speaking role.

[edit] References & Sources

The Moroccan Goums: Tribal Warriors in a Modern War (it praises the fighting ability in difficult terrain and "Unfortunately for the Goumiers, their military success did not prevent their fearsome reputation from taking its toll as exceptional numbers of Moroccans were executed—many without trial—for allegedly murdering, raping, and pillaging their way across the Italian countryside.")
Corps Expéditionnaire Français en Italie (CEFI) (unused source)