Why was the Italian Social Republic dependent on Nazi Germany?

The Italian Social Republic, also known as the republic of Salò, was a puppet regime established by Benito Mussolini in northern Italy following his rescue by German commandos in September 1943. Its dependence on Nazi Germany was absolute for several critical reasons:12

• Military Control: The regime existed only because of the German military occupation of northern and central Italy. Mussolini himself admitted that his government was merely a puppet at the mercy of the German command.21
• Operational Authority: Fascist officials essentially followed Adolf Hitler’s orders as the war continued. German forces maintained control over the territory, conducting massacres, deporting Jews to extermination camps, and forcing thousands of Italian men into labor in Germany.2
• Lack of Sovereignty: The republic lacked independent power; it was created to prevent the Germans from governing Italy entirely in their own interests, yet it remained unable to act autonomously. While the regime attempted to raise its own army, it struggled with mass desertions and failed to gain significant public support, leaving it entirely reliant on German military might to maintain its position against the Allies and the Italian Resistance.12