Leadership

At the outbreak of World War II, Malta was Britain’s most important Mediterranean naval base. During World War II, Malta became the most bombed place on earth – 6,700 tons of bombs fell in just six weeks.  As such, it was to protect east-west supply lines while blocking the passage between Italy and North Africa.

When Mussolini plunged Italy into the war on June 10, 1940, Malta knew for sure that it was destined to play a frontline role.  Malta, being a British colony and geographically close to Italy, was one of the first countries to suffer causalities from Italian attacks. 

Europe was nine months into the conflict when, the first attacks over Malta took place on Tuesday 11th June 1940, only a day after the Italian leader Benito Mussolini declared war against Great Britain and its allies. The first air-raid, occurring some time before seven in the morning, horrified the Maltese and tremendous chaos ensued. From Fort Saint Elmo the first war-victims were announced. The Harbour areas were immediately evacuated. The three mostly hitted cities in Malta in World War II were Cospicua, Vittoriosa and Senglea.

For centuries the Order of St.John later to be later known as the Knights of Malta had been the indomitable protectors of Christianity.  When the Crusaders took the city of Jerusalem in July 1099, within the confines of the Holy Shrine they took the duties of Hospitallers.  The hostility of the Muslims and need to safeguard the Holy Land entitled the order to endorse also into a Military role.  More fighting and conflicts ensued.   The superiority of Muslim army was so large that it was impossible to make any attempt at resistance.

When the Muslims regained control of the Holy Land, the Knights relocated to Rhodes.  As the Hospitallers could no longer fight the Muslims on dry land, the sea became the theatre of the military action of the "Religion", as the Order came to be called.

 Rhodes was the best operative base as it was the meeting point of the routes from the East and the West.  Very soon, Rhodes became a landmark that belongs to the Order.

The French revolution, encouraged by the Enlightenment gained popularity also in Malta.  On the 11th day of June, 1798, the French army led by the formidable General Napoleon Bonaparte took hold of the Maltese Islands. In a few hours, the French troops had swept over Malta.

The Knights of Saint John, who in the preceding century had defeated their Turkish enemy, were now spiritless, exhausted, overwhelmed, and offered no resistance to the French force. For this and other reasons, the Knights surrendered immediately and on the 17th of June Grandmaster Hompesch was compelled to leave the island.

Napoleon Bonaparte, conqueror of the Knights, entered the City of Valletta with triumphant pomp, arriving at the Banca Giuratale in the Grandmaster’s own carriage. He thereupon embarked on a series of reforms in the administration of the island.General Vaubois was assigned the military command of Malta. After only 7 days, Napoleon left the island.

Classical Roman authors have written how in the year 217 BC the Roman army raided Malta and laid the island to waste. However, the great Roman historian Livy asserts that in the year 218 BC the Carthaginian army under Hamilcar was defeated and the Roman consul Titus established Roman rule in Malta.