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The Life of Benito Mussolini
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Mussolini is Born
Mussolini was born in the small town of Dovia di Predappio to his father, Alessandro Mussolini, and his mother, Rosa Mussolini.
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Early Jobs for Mussolini
Mussolini joined a boarding school led by Salesian monks at the request of his mother. He achieved good grades and became an elementary school master in 1901. (Gregor, Anthony James) -
Escape to Switzerland, Deportation back to Italy
Mussolini moved to Switzerland to avoid military service. He studied sociologist ideals, and was arrested for his advocacy in a violent strike. He was then promptly deported back to Italy, where he returned to Switzerland, and deported back for falsifying papers. (Gregor, Anthony James) -
Mussolini joins the military
As a requirement, Mussolini enlisted in the military for two years. He joined the corps of the Bersaglieri in Forlì, and returned to teaching once he had completed military service. (Gregor, Anthony James) -
Mussolini writes socialist essays
While he traveled to various countries, Mussolini started to write essays that reflected socialist ideals, even completing an entire novel. He became one of Italy's most prominent socialists, and was arrested for denouncing Italy's "imperialist war" with Libya. (Lowe, Norman) -
WWI breaks out; Mussolini supports and is expelled
WWI broke out in Europe in 1914, and the socialist stance was that they disapproved of intervention in the war. Mussolini, although a part of the socialist party, supported it for his own selfish reasons. After coming into conflict with socialists that disapproved of the war, he was expelled from the socialist party. (Lowe, Norman) -
March on Rome
On the night between October 27th and 28th, 30,000 Fascist blackshirts gathered in Rome to demand the resignation of Luigi Facta and the appointment of a Fascist government. The King refused to declare marital law, which led to Facta's resignation. The King then allowed Mussolini to create a new government. (Lowe, Norman) -
New law grants Mussolini ultimate power
Parliament passed a new law on the eve of Christmas that gave Mussolini the title "head of the government", the final step in giving him ultimate power and control over Italy's government and economy, turning Italy into a police state. (Lowe, Norman) -
Four Power Pact is signed
The Four Power Pact that was proposed by Mussolini was signed by Britain, France, Germany, and Italy. France's Parliament did not ratify the pact. It was proposed by Mussolini as a means to try and lessen the voices of smaller nations and keep Germany, who had been taken over by Hitler by then, from advancing on Austria. (Ascoli, Max) -
Rome-Berlin Axis is created
Mussolini and Hitler create a new Rome-Berlin Axis as a type of alliance between Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. This was signed in Berlin and signalled Mussolini's decision to turn his back on France and Britain and join Germany. (Ascoli, Max) -
Italy enters WWII
Almost a year after the war began, Mussolini declared war on Britain and France once a German victory seemed likely. He saw this as a struggle between two different ideologies - capitalism and Fascism - and joined Germany in the struggle between the major powers in Europe. (Ascoli, Max) -
Mussolini is dismissed and arrested
After the Allies pushed Italy back into its homeland and began to bomb major cities, Mussolini returned to his council after meeting with Hitler and was dismissed by the king and the council. He was then arrested and sent to Campo Imperatore, where the Germans rescued him. (TIME Magazine) -
Mussolini is captured and executed
Mussolini was caught near the Swiss border with his mistress Clara Petacci. He had been trying to catch a plane that would take him to Spain from Switzerland. He was executed along with other fascist leaders. His and Petacci's corpses were hung in public for public shaming. (TIME Magazine)