don july july historical mafia boss province sicily considered influential legendary mafia bosses sicily world war death media depicted boss bosses position exist loose structure man honour rural mafia disappeared 1960s 1970s days seen social man standing order peace stage career violence establish position second phase limited violence turned principally legal sources income exercised power open legitimate manner central character history direct mafia support invasion sicily world war allied occupation subsequent restoration democracy repression fascist rule initially supported movement changed allegiance christian democrat party clear independence died thousands peasants dressed black high ranking politicians priests took funeral funeral stated mafia criminal stood respect law defense rights greatness character love rise power persistence power tied violence murder stature powerful mafia boss rose mythical proportions recently historians magnitude early years born village province population approximately people time area middle sicily known poor region people lived agriculture father peasant managed marry slightly family owned land member mother family risen high catholic_church brothers confused bishop priests semi finish elementary school mafia relatively recent origin 1860s considered period mafia emerged started form private protection little large estates case rural areas started lease holders 1890s people including young decided absence peace security countryside state police time danger emerged alternative social regime centred membership church sponsored associations generated considerable social capital later transformed protection villagers landowners alike violence intimidation explained saw mafia interviewed italy famous journalists october fact society category people things situations complicated usually state state present sufficient force private individuals time criminal included murders attempted murders acts private violence early career peasants wanted wheat flour mills located near coast tolerate competition controlled mills case mills kilometres away grain safely mills roads infested easy task arranged protection hide mountains alleged man honour supplied manpower noble landowners farmers revolts enrolled band conducting business arrested band finally fell trap set police stood trial rest band association commit crime acquitted episode negative consequences able acquire substantial estate deal owner duke resided paris local rural bank president priest uncle held hectares left rest bank lease catholic peasants world war outbreak world war undisputed head mafia war provided new opportunities self horses sicily cavalry artillery came agreement delegate responsibilities collected poll tax animals owners wanted avoid broker animals occasion buying low price selling market prices army horses died diseases old age reached battlefield army ordered inquiry sentenced years instance fraud corruption murder thanks powerful friends fortune black market world war expanded activities mines representative consortium operators participated high level meetings rome london concerning government subsidies men chemical industries finance minister fascist regime established fortune led peasants grabbed land aristocratic bought estates region divided handed allegedly making penny according cooperative founded according local peasant got plot kept acres time according german easily elected parliamentary deputy preferred remain background instead advise voters elected officials playing role strengthening prestige present dinner july future ruler italy milan supported march rome october financing column marched sicily authorities listed dangerous criminal police report described dangerous cattle mafia boss province linked cattle provinces rise fascist rule fortunes changed tolerate rival power sicily appointed granted special powers mafia claimed incarcerated historical records likely sent confinement italian mainland exact town sure despite confinement seen regularly alleged support allied invasion sicily july allegedly helped american army invasion sicily world war operation recruited mafia support protect new_york_city waterfront sabotage entered war december collaborated partner jewish called operation underworld resulting mafia contacts wartime predecessor cia invasion sicily later alliance maintained order check growing strength italian communist party island popular myth army airplane flown day invasion dropped yellow silk marked black indicating days later american tanks rolled driving thirty miles enemy territory climbed aboard spent days traveling western sicily organizing support advancing american troops general division moved onward signs dependence mafia support obvious local population mafia protected roads arranged enthusiastic advancing troops provided guides confusing mountain terrain supported army recent research led historians dismiss legend unknown parts sicily time overall power operations disconnected network mafia according historian story mafia supporting anglo americans invasion sicily legend foundation contrary british american documents preparation invasion military power allies need use measures historian myth book version probably closer truth simply led delegation locals meet allied patrol commander asked speak charge quotes local historian described procession people helm way tanks chanting long live america long live mafia long live don taken command post outside interrogated recent involving american patrol clear italian soldiers fled caused exploding ammunition frustrated army official took rage stream utterly embarrassed incident ordered interpreter tell anybody happened mayor mafia credible end invasion looking anti fascist replace fascist authorities mayor honorary colonel army chaos followed invasion sicily collapse american army relied senior advice trust recommended long record involvement catholic social funds family witness time described appointment mayor town entire population assembled square speaking poor italian american lieutenant said master according account carried shoulder high day took office mayor claimed acted intervention saved fascist predecessor reported legend observed mafia revival native village described consequences policies beginning second world war mafia restricted isolated scattered groups completely wiped social problems island dealt allied occupation subsequent slow restoration democracy reinstated mafia powers way political force returned weapons americans authorities apparently appreciated opposed yielded substantial political power island far concerned liked excellent contacts americans support movement important player midst crisis later americans treated mafia overall boss relied mafia particular intelligence bull frog secret communications chief office met mafia bosses month king black market excellent connections king rampant post war black market arranged overly police chief killed relied considered staunch anti repression russo appointed coordinating effort lieutenant governor new_york colonel described good friends peasant told social activist 1950s situation americans landed mafia robbed army sold food clothes cars black market power hands church mafia agricultural banks hands family ask favour little affair person established largest black market operations southern italy american gangster fled italy accused murder sent truck loaded basic food necessary italian diet rolling northward hungry naples distributed organization trucks issued passes export papers administration naples sicily corrupt american army officers contributions gasoline trucks operation according lieutenant assigned follow time italy food supplies shipped accompanied proper documents certified men authority mafia members service supporting initially supported movement sicily december participated clandestine regional convention movement prominent mafia bosses like russo hide sympathies benefited covert support italy experienced drift american military increasingly concerned future prospects italy island naval bases strategic location mediterranean provided possible future communism italian mainland membership doubled largely left inspired resistance movement north gathering strength december central committee movement held secret meeting presence suggested mafia support independence aided conservative wing attempt control movement shared common views baron important leaders movement despite protests progressive wing remained meeting representing province later represented satellite political organization movement demonstrated mafia fully commit popular island advocated independence sicily american influence americans strongly emphasized united_states want sicily 49th state late claimed ideas result american propaganda encouraged prior invasion leaders spread rumours backing protection united_states members high mafia considered leader secret dispatches consul state involvement movement covert support italian army officials good ties leading general negotiated armistice italy met politician offer leadership movement autonomy support mafia plan stage candidate high commissioner sicily oppose favourite christian democrat convinced mafia strongest political social force sicily started establish relations mafia leaders general believed law order restored system employed old respected return scene contacts mafia leaders met times gained cooperation supported prepared change island political situation direction regional autonomy shifting christian democrats soon changed sides joining christian democrat party clear independent sicily feasible quietly dropped support movement turned party leaders approached abandon join christian democrats welcomed joining article catholic newspaper offered meet appointed high commissioner august solve island grain problem implying power evidence met discuss issue invite fellow christian democrat mafia member befriended secret gatherings christian democrats meetings seen step government alliance mafia appointment perceived mafia indication government determination subdue movement forced reconsider support support secret crucial elections decide italy post war future sat table leading politicians attending electoral lunch course start cold war elections triumph christian democrats govern italy downs years different main aims biggest communist party nato member state away power incident staunch anti communist opposed fight land peasants organised peasant area post war periods appeal left wing parties maintained hold peasants guaranteed continued access land fierce dispute lease large estate family peasant cooperative headed founded psi tried hard persuade marry niece failed leverage left wing press return arranged crops family land failed attempt life september leaders del popular sicily communist went speak labourers rally challenging personal morning tensions rose christian democrat mayor relative successor mayor angered local communists ordering hammer signs erased buildings road travel town supporters protested intimidated rally began late afternoon agreed permit meeting long land problems large estates mafia addressed speakers preceded followed commands denounced exploitation mafia started talk peasants powerful disguised reference mafia boss lie broke rally ended shoot left people wounded including months later acquired lease estate according account truth events appeared newspapers communist started shooting arrived town asked hostile territory meeting disturbed assured free hold meeting fear disturbance careful speak local matters admitted interrupted denied ignited violence quickly restored order arrested people including mayor including evaded police persons interrogated investigation doomed start bodyguard accused attempted trial dragged evidence disappeared convicted time verdict dead attack inaugurated long series mafia attacks sicily political activists trade union leaders ordinary peasants resisting mafia rule following years left wing leaders killed attacked culminating killing people wounding thirty labour parade massacre attributed leader mafia suspected involvement attacks left wing organisations leaders links american italian american crime boss set candy factory europe police suspected cover heroin trafficking laboratory operated april roman daily published photograph factory headline drug route evening factory closed laboratory reportedly smuggled country photographed centre old residence don talking photographer beaten reported fact authorities receiving expensive new camera cash network reached united_states knew future family boss philadelphia known born boss bosses media depicted boss bosses position exist loose structure later mafia denied boss mafia sicily according title boss bosses exist according author question dominant mafia famous outside matter mafia support movement bosses sidelined considered association radical leaders bosses wanted island suspected connected according boss considerable power italian journalist claimed know described stature daily life book italians shadows walls narrow streets emerged people arrived earlier far away waiting talk peasants old women black head young middle class men walked turn explaining problems listened called gave orders summoned kissed hand gratitude left generous protective manner approaching spoke reminded scene prince holding court handing justice publicly concluded course victims reign visible corpses found bullets countryside half century mayor local historian remembers walking streets legs protruding stomach wore photographs eyes half closed mouth open lower lip hanging looked dim know power restricted hometown reached high offices sicily according telephone trouble regional president cardinal archbishop deputy mayor sicily time wanted maintains explicitly ordered kill somebody tried accommodate matters bring people reason way decided people things remained nonetheless gesture nod left friends care problem intervened knows end find death died july age entering ambulance transporting home clinic thousands peasants dressed black politicians priests took funeral including boss russo powerful boss father future mafia boss new_york_times reported news death local mafia chief public offices christian democratic headquarters closed week mourning pinned church door read humble humble great great showed words deeds mafia criminal stood respect law defence rights greatness character love left approximately billion usd exchange rate time worth land houses varied investments according sources left billion italian usd sons sister including mines land holdings mansion centre remained unmarried love affair age local girl parents lived united_states brought want leave native legacy lifetime acquired extensive land holdings mafia historian considers undertaker large feudal estates protector system sure local peasants particular ones organised catholic got share land secured cut land reform finally enacted like position perform traditional role peasants state able exploit intense land hunger peasants gain concessions return limiting impact reform substantial profits land sales man honour age rural semi feudal sicily existed 1960s seen social man standing order peace stage career violence establish position second phase limited violence turned principally legal sources income exercised power open legitimate manner represented mafia controlled power let power control according german good impression fare important enjoy respect shown enjoy power wish rise discussion know veil power felt italian journalist quoted typical remark photograph citizen strange people think don talk don talk don know live village rarely know people die mafia dies told death old fashioned traditional rural mafia slowly passed away replaced modern urban version involved cigarette smuggling drug trafficking proceeds construction real estate development alive death stature powerful mafia boss rose mythical proportions 1990s historians magnitude
Calogero Vizzini