---
title: Italo Balbo
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/quotes/italo-balbo/
description: 2 verified quotes from Italo Balbo, Marshal of the Air Force; Governor-General of Libya (1934 to 1940); one of the four Quadrumvirs of the March on Rome…
section: FRAME
---

![Illustration: a Second World War naval-intelligence collage of a Pacific theatre map, aerial reconnaissance photographs and radar plots.](https://propagandaarchive.org/static/generated/detail/hero-wwii-pacific.jpg)

[Quotes](https://propagandaarchive.org/quotes/) · Italy

# Italo Balbo

![Italo Balbo in 1929](https://propagandaarchive.org/regimes/images/fascist-italy/italo-balbo.jpg)

[Photo](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Italo_Balbo,_Italy's_Minister_of_Aviation_LCCN99403485.jpg): George Grantham Bain Collection, Public domain (Library of Congress, no known restrictions)

Marshal of the Air Force; Governor-General of Libya (1934 to 1940); one of the four Quadrumvirs of the March on Rome · Italy

On the regime page: [Fascist Italy under Mussolini](https://propagandaarchive.org/regimes/fascist-italy/#italo-balbo)

2 quotes, oldest first. [Filter with other speakers](https://propagandaarchive.org/quotes/#speaker=italo-balbo).

1. > ““You are shining Germany’s boots.”” — Original (Italian) — “lustrate le scarpe alla Germania” — English: Hugh Gibson (ed.), The Ciano Diaries 1939-1943 (Doubleday, 1946; Simon Publications reprint, 2001) (English text as printed in this edition) — March 21, 1939 · Private-remark · Rome — At a meeting of the Fascist Grand Council held after Germany's occupation of Prague, Mussolini argued for uncompromising loyalty to the Axis. Ciano records Balbo and Emilio De Bono as critics of that line, and quotes this remark. — Galeazzo Ciano, diary entry of 21 March 1939, recording the words of Italo Balbo, in Hugh Gibson (ed.), The Ciano Diaries 1939-1943 (Doubleday, 1946; Simon Publications reprint, 2001); Italian original: Galeazzo Ciano, Diario 1937-1943 (Italian text; 2020 FS digital reprint) [Source](https://archive.org/details/GibsonHughTheCianoDiaries19391943TheCompleteUnabridgedDiariesOfCountGaleazzoCian)
2. > ““Just whistle,” he says, “and I’ll come to your aid.”” — Original (Italian) — “Fai un fischio” conclude “ vengo subito con te.” — English: Hugh Gibson (ed.), The Ciano Diaries 1939-1943 (Doubleday, 1946; Simon Publications reprint, 2001) (English text as printed in this edition) — February 14, 1940 · Private-remark · Rome — Ciano records that after a meeting of the Supreme Defence Commission, at which Minister Riccardi and General Graziani spoke about the financial cost of the armaments programme, Balbo walked with him to the Palazzo Chigi and said that he approved of Ciano's action. — Galeazzo Ciano, diary entry of 14 February 1940, recording the words of Italo Balbo, in Hugh Gibson (ed.), The Ciano Diaries 1939-1943 (Doubleday, 1946; Simon Publications reprint, 2001); Italian original: Galeazzo Ciano, Diario 1937-1943 (Italian text; 2020 FS digital reprint) [Source](https://archive.org/details/GibsonHughTheCianoDiaries19391943TheCompleteUnabridgedDiariesOfCountGaleazzoCian)