Benito Mussolini and the Rise of Fascism in Italy

Il Duce--The Leader

Mussolini, a brief history

• Born July 29, 1883 in Northeastern Italy to a working class family

• Becomes a teacher and is fired• Early 1900’s--socialist, leaves for

Switzerland.– He is a journalist and political agitator and

is arrested many times

Mussolini cont…

• Opposed to WWI, then supports it as a way to overthrow capitalism.

• Is a soldier in WWI

• Comes back from war an antisocialist, believes only an authoritarian government can “fix” Italy’s problems.

The roots of Fascism

• Fasci Italiani di Combattimento: Mussolini gathers veterans

– Fascio: Italian for union or league

– Fasces:Ancient Roman symbol of discipline and authority (rods or sticks bound together)

Fascism Defined

• Mussolini Defines Fascism:– Please O,P,V,L this document

• What reactions do you have from this document and what did you learn from Mussolini?

The “Definition”

• Fascism– A party, not a political doctrine– Celebration of a nation or race above the

individual– Celebrates masculinity and youth– Often promotes racial superiority– Forcibly suppresses opposition

What Mussolini said

• “The Fascist conception of the State is all embracing; outside of it no human or spiritual values can exist, much less have value. Thus understood, Fascism is totalitarian and the Fascist State ... interprets, develops, and potentates the whole life of a people”.

Back to Mussolini

• 1921: Mussolini elected to Parliament– Fascism becomes a formal party

• Oct. 24, 1922: 40,000 Fascists meet in Naples and demand control of government

• Oct. 31, 1922: King Victor Emmanuel III asks Mussolini to form a new government and he becomes Prime Minister

Italy under Mussolini

• 1935: Italy invades Ethiopia to expand the empire

• 1936: Joins with Hitler and Japan to fight communism

• 1936: Supports Franco in Spain

• June 10, 1940: Italy enters WWII

The end of it all….

• 1943: Allies invade, Mussolini’s power declines.– Mussolini is arrested and imprisoned, the Nazi’s

rescue him and he sets up a “government” (Italian Social Republic) in Nazi controlled Northern Italy.

• 1945: Armistice, Mussolini attempts to flee to Switzerland and is assassinated

• 1946: The New Republic with an anti-fascist constitution