The Rise of Mussolini in Italy Benito Mussolini (1883-1945)

The Rise of Mussolini in Italy

Benito Mussolini (1883-1945)

Exam Questions

- Ideas of Fascism

- Why people turned to fascism

- Why Mussolini gained support

-An account of Mussolini’s political achievements

-Italy and WW2

-Mussolini’s Foreign policy

Keyterms/WordsTreaty of London: Secret treaty with Allies that promised Italy land for joining the war

Blackshirts/Squadristi: Mussolini’s uniformed followers

OVRA: Mussolini’s secret police

Fasces: Italian fascist symbol

Il Duce: the leader. Nickname of Mussolini

March on Rome: Mussolini demanded position of Prime Minister. King Victor Emmanual III granted his the job to avoid a civil war

Acerbo Law: the party with the most votes got two-thirds of the seats in parliament

Battle for Grain: Italy to grow all its own crops so it could become self-sufficient and not rely on expensive imports. However price of bread in Italy increased.

Pontine Marshes: marshland trained and towns built

Lateran Pacts: agreement (concordat)

between Pope and Mussolini that ended a 60 year feud in 1929

Abyssinia: present day Ethiopia. Mussolini invaded in 1935

Rome Berlin Axis/Pact of Steel: Alliance with Hitler. They would not invade each other and help each other in times of war

Salo Republic: North of Italy that Mussolini ruled before being captured by the Allies

Problems after WWI

• 460,000 soldiers killed• Heavy debt• Britain and France did not give Italy

the land they promised• Governments were all coalitions that

couldn’t make decisions • Rising unemployment led to unrest in

cities

The Treaty of Versailles

• Italians believed that it treated them badly.

• Italy had not been given the land promised at the Secret Treaty of London.

• Italy’s foreign Minister Orlando left before the conference ended, feeling humiliated.

Characteristics of Fascism and Communism

FASCISM BOTH COMMUNISMWears a uniform Classless society- all

equal

Supports private property Government has control Seeks to eliminate religion

Special salute Glorifies military and war No private ownership pf land or property

Views women as inferior Secret police International revolution

Each class in society has a place and function

Controls religion

State must struggle to survive even if it means war

One party ruleNo unions/strikes

Use of youths

Appeals to the middle class and industrialists

Controls PressUse of propagandaUse of mass rallies

Fascism under Mussolini

Benito Mussolini

Why people turned to fascism

1. Fear of Communism

2. Use of successful propaganda

3. Many unhappy with the Treaty of Versaille

4. Many wanted their countries to be great again and fascism promised this

5. Huge economic problems from Wall Street Crash. People blamed democracy for this

Mussolini gains power• Mussolini set up a Fascist

Party and promised to solve Italy’s problems

• Promised to rebuild Italy and recreate the Roman Empire

• Organized armed gangs called the “Blackshirts”

• Came to power in 1922 and was appointed Prime Minister by King Victor Emmanuel to prevent a Communist Revolution in Italy

How Mussolini got support

• 1. Campaigned against the Treaty of Versaille where Italy did not get the land the were promised. Many Italians unhappy about this

• 2. Weak coalition governments failed to tackle problems after the war ended. Mussolini promised to bring order to Italy

• 3. Mussolini’s followers the Squadristi, fought street fights against communism.

This won Mussolini support from businessmen n who helped finance his party

HOW MUSSOLINI CREATED A

DICTATORSHIP

1922 March on Rome

• Between 1919 and 1922 the Fascists grew from strength to strength.

• In October 1922 they organized a March on Rome in an effort to seize control of Italy

• Their plan worked• King Victor Emmanual III invited Mussolini to

form a government. The Fascists were in power

"Either the government will be given "Either the government will be given to us or will shall seize it by to us or will shall seize it by marching on Rome." marching on Rome."

March on Rome, 1922

Early popularity

• He controlled the media, which he used as a propaganda tool to portray him as a strong, brace and caring leader

• He introduced public works, such as the building of motorways and the draining of marshes. These provided employment.

• Some powerful businessmen supported his banning of trade unions and his persecution of communists.

• In 1929 Mussolini won the support of many Catholics by signing the Lateran Treaty with the Pope. This concordat set up an independent Vatican State within Rome and end a 60 year disagreement between the Pope and the Italian Government

Wars and Downfall• Mussolini wanted to build an empire like that of Ancient

Rome. To achieve this he led Italy into several wars• In 1935 he invaded Abyssinia. The League of Nations

were ineffective to stopping him.• He sent 50,000 troops to assist dictator Francisco

Franco in the Spanish Civil War• In 1936 he made an alliance with Hitler ‘Rome-Berlin

Axis’ and four years later he entered WW2 on the German side. This was a fatal decision.

• In 1945 he was captured by Allied forces ad hung in a square in Milan

Mussolini and Hitler

Mussolini and Hitler

Hitler and Mussolini had a close relationship. In October 1936 they signed a non-military alliance. Mussolini signed a full defensive alliance with Nazi Germany in the Pact of Steel.

Italy during WWII

Mussolini during WWII

He wanted to create a “New Roman Empire.”. At the break out of WW2 Italy’s troops were unprepared for the German invasion of Poland. Italy remained neutral.

Italy during WWII cont’d

Italy soon declared war on Britain and France but troops were unprepared. It was defeated by Greece. Italy was defeated on all fronts of the Anglo-American landing.

Mussolini

Mussolini’s ExecutionMussolini was taken prisoner by the Allies and was joined by his mistress, Clara Petacci. A few days later they were shot dead. In April of 1945, their bodies were hung at a square in Milan for everyone to see.

Mussolini and his mistress