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Mussolini and Fascist Italy:
Becoming a sovereign state during the Resurgence which unified countries of the Italian Peninsula into a single nation of Italy. After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, all states of the Italian Peninsula became subject to the larger European-power. Italy was later fragmented by the transitory supremacy of Feudal European conquerors, allowing for the Papal State to develop a zone of influence in Central Italy. -
Papal States taken over by new nation of Italy
The Papal State developed a zone of influence in Central Italy, challenging the rule of the Roman Empire. Cities in the north became defiant of Roman Rule and split to become independently governed cities. By the end of the 18th century, northern and central Italy developed into remarkable powers, while the south experienced with power struggles between France, Spain, and Austria.Little active development in agricultural trade resulting in static social and economic foundation. -
Failure of First Italo-Ethiopian War with the Battle of Adowa (Adwa)
A military clash at Adwa, in north-central Ethiopia, between the Ethiopian army of Emperor Menilek II and Italian forces. The Ethiopian army’s victory checked Italy’s attempt to build an empire in Africa. The victory was significant for being the first crushing defeat of a European power by African forces during the colonial era.The Treaty of Addis Ababa, then abrogated the Treaty of Wichale and the Italian claim to a protectorate over all of Ethiopia was thereafter abandoned. -
Italy invades and takes over Libya
Italy wanted to solve high unemployment and emigration issues by settling poor Italians in Ottoman Libya. Initially Italy tried to achieve this through peaceful penetration, but facing Ottoman restrictions, the Italians claimed that their citizens were discriminated and that they needed gain control over Libya by force. Italy managed to occupy western Libya until WWI: Italy focused on the European front, and the Ottomans were weakened due to internal conflicts over national/ethical divisions. -
Mussolini begins work as editor for the Socialist Party newspaper Avanti
With his articles, Mussolini, by leveraging on his popularity inside the socialist movement and on the great diffusion of the newspaper, forced the Confederazione Generale del Lavoro (CGdL) to declare a general strike, an instrument which stopped every activity in the country and that the labor union believed it had to be used only in exceptional circumstances. Mussolini exploited the popular revolts for political purposes within the socialist movement. -
Mussolini kicked out of Socialist Party for pro-nationalistic sentiments regarding WW I
On 23 November, Mussolini was expelled from the Socialist Party and the satirical cartoonist of Avanti!, Giuseppe Scalarini, drew the cartoon Giuda for the newspaper, representing Mussolini, with a dagger and the money of betrayal, approaching silently to hit Christ (the socialism) in the back. -
Treaty of London
Intended for Italy to break away from its 33 year old Triple Alliance with the German Empire and Austria-Hungary, both the main Central Powers in the war, and to switch its allegiance to the Triple Entente, with the promise of large amounts of Austria-Hungary to the north of Italy and to the east across the Adriatic and funding by Britain. Italy's mutilated victory played a role in Italy's interwar expansion, fueled irredentism and nationalism before WWI and led to the rise of Italian fascism. -
Fascio di Combattimento formed in Milan
118 people, representing various political groupings, intended to bring together nationalists/socialists.However, Fascists soon attacked Socialist institutions with organized militias attracting support across Italy in an anti-Bolshevik crusade that united various social and political sectors and organizations. Local fascist groups dismantled Socialist and Catholic labor unions and peasants’ cooperative. They used systematic violence to destroy these organizations with thousands beaten/killed. -
Beginning of Biennio Rosso
A period of intense social conflict where socialists seized control of the local government, The agitations also extended to the agricultural areas of the Padan plain and were accompanied by peasant strikes, rural unrest and armed conflicts between left-wing and right-wing militias while emphasizing violence between the social classes. This displayed the liberal government's incompetency and resulted in the rise of the Ardetti which would follow with the March of Rome. -
D’Annunzio takes Fiume
Gabriele D’Annunzio swooped into the port of Fiume with 2000 armed men on the Adriatic and claimed it for Italy. He did so in open defiance of the liberal Italian government and the Allies, where they ruled the city for the next 15 months. D’Annunzio was a hero to Italian nationalists, and proved an inspiration to Mussolini. Mussolini decided to adopt the theatrical trappings used by D’Annunzio, especially their ancient Roman salute and the many parades/balcony speeches they performed. . -
Mussolini forms alliance with Giolitti
Due to a more organized squadristi, Mussollini began to assert control by attacking the state in public and depicted violence as necessary to prevent a Bolshevik-style revolution while assuring liberals that he wasn’t being serious. Giolitti offered the fascists an electoral alliance for the national elections on May 1921. Holding positions in parliament gave the fascists an image of respectability as well as a foothold in national politics, allowing the withdrawal from Giolitti’s coalition. -
Mussolini forms the PNF (Fascist Party) and is elected its leader
On August 2nd, Mussollini signed the Pact of Pacification with moderate socialists and the main trade union organization where he successfully outmanoeuvred the ras. He persuaded members of the Fasci to re-form into a political party where he was elected as leader. He agreed to end the truce with the socialists and ordered all branches to organize action squads. Mussolini now presented himself as the clear, undisputed leader of an organised/political party, despite the ras' influence. -
March on Rome and Mussolini becomes Prime Minister
October 1922, the ras organized a coup and seized power in Rome. On the night of 27 October, fascist squads took over northern Italy. Though defeated by armed troops, Victor Emmanuel III refused to authorize martial law and Mussolini was accepted prime minister two days later. King’s actions created a historical debate: that he had little faith in the liberals & he genuinely feared the outbreak of civil war while or how the leading industrialists, landowners & churchmen favored compromise. -
Acerbo Law passed
Mussolini proposed an electoral reform that gave two-thirds of the seats in Parliament to the party that received the largest number of votes. The Acerbo Law enabled the Fascists to take control of Parliament the following year and impose a dictatorship while gaining a majority of deputies. An election was held straight afterwards where he won under the new & old law. Despite suspicion of foul play, opponents were demoralized and unable to put up any coordinated opposition. -
Corfu Incident
A brief occupation of the Greek island of Corfu by Italian forces, Italians forming part of an international boundary delegation were murdered on Greek soil, leading Mussolini to order a naval bombardment of Corfu. After the Greeks appealed to the League of Nations, the Italians were ordered to evacuate but Greece was forced to pay Italy an indemnity.This demonstrated the League's weakness with larger powers, enhanced fascist reputation and displayed the purpose/tone of fascist foreign policy. -
Matteotti Crisis
May 30, Matteotti had spoken in the Chamber of Deputies against the Fascist use of violence in the parliamentary elections. In early June, the Italian public soon reacted against Fascist rule: during the Aventine secession protests occurred for the murder and the overthrow of Mussolini. This turning point leads to Mussolini abandoning plans of working with parliament and took steps to create a totalitarian state through the oppression of press, exclusion of non fascists and use of secret police. -
Aventine Secession
The withdrawal by some 150 left and center deputies from the Italian Chamber of Deputies in June to show their opposition to the rule of the Fascist leader Benito Mussolini and the assassination of Matteotti. However, the parliamentarians failed to persuade the King to take action against Mussolini, who responded by annulling their seats, forcing their leaders to emigrate, and outlawing the participating opposition parties. -
Battle for Grain
Doubled cereal production by 1939, making Italy self-sufficient in wheat, it also involved misallocation of resources. This resulted in Italy having to import olive oil, while exports of fruit and wine, and numbers of cattle and sheep, dropped. It became the equivalent of the Green Revolution, with 5000 new farms being built for the extra production. -
Locarno Treaty signed
An agreement signed on between Britain, France, Belgium, Italy and Germany. Stresemann believed that through signing the Pact, it would increase confidence in Germany among her own people but also other European powers. It had 3 aims: secure borders of the nations of Europe after the First World War, permanent demilitarization of the Rhineland and allow Germany in the League of Nations. It was meant to show that Germany was starting to be treated as an equal partner in foreign affairs. -
Battle for Land and Battle for the Lira
Battle of Lira:artificially raised the value of the lira resulting in declining exports – and thus increased unemployment – as Italian goods became more expensive; it soon began a recession. Battle of Land only reclaimed one significant area (the Pontine Marshes). Cleared land also had roads built on them to improve Italy’s infrastructure. These schemes were labor intensive and employed a lot of people so they served a purpose in this area. Many saw the Battle of Land as a success. -
Battle for Births
Mussolini introduced a number of measures to encourage reproduction, with an objective of increasing the population from 40 million to 60 million by 1950. The Battle for Births is seen as a failure. By 1950, Italy's population stood at 47.5 million. Marriage rates stayed virtually the same during Mussolini's reign, and birth rates decreased until 1936, after which there was a modest increase. he birth rate of 112 per 1000 in 1936 was below that of pre-World War I levels. -
Kellogg-Briand Treaty signed
The pact was one of many international efforts to prevent another World War, but it had little effect in stopping the rising militarism of the 1930s or preventing World War II. The signatories allowed themselves a great variety of qualifications so that the pact would not prohibit wars of self-defense or certain military obligations arising from the League Covenant, the Monroe Doctrine, or postwar treaties of alliance. These conditions rendered the agreement completely ineffective. -
Lateran Treaty with Pope
It was signed by Benito Mussolini and by Pietro Gasparri and confirmed by the Italian constitution of 1948. Upon ratification of the Lateran Treaty, the papacy recognized the state of Italy, with Rome as its capital. Italy in return recognized papal sovereignty over the Vatican City and secured full independence for the pope. It ended compulsory religious education in public schools, affected diverse areas as tax exemptions for religious institutions and ownership of the Jewish catacombs -
Stresa Front
A coalition of France, Britain, and Italy formed in April 1935 at Stresa, Italy, to oppose Adolf Hitler’s announced intention to rearm Germany, which violated terms of the Treaty of Versailles. Could be seen as a failure because it had vague terms and it was not clear how its aims should be upheld. It ignored all referring to Germany, as Britain was adopting a dual policy and did not want to antagonize Hitler. -
Abyssinian Crisis
A diplomatic crisis over Italy’s policy of aggression against Ethiopia. It originated due to the “Welwel incident” which accelerated the ongoing conflict between Italy and Ethiopia. The League of Nations could not do anything to prevent it. It had the direct effect of undermining the credibility of the League of Nations, encouraging fascist Italy to ally itself with Nazi Germany and contributed to lack of peace in Europe through the progressive constitution of two opposing sides. -
Rome-Berlin Axis Treaty signed
An important step between Germany and Italy, which formed the origin of the Rome-Berlin Axis. Prior to 1935, Italy had sided politically with Britain and France. A change occurred in 1935, caused by Italy engaging in a war to conquer Ethiopia. Unexpectedly, the British at once showed great displeasure. For Italy, the alliance promised support in case of a major war, and an end to her then political isolation. For Germany it meant that her south boundary was protected. -
Italian involvement in the Spanish Civil War
Germany and Italy failed to honor the non-intervention pact of 1936, regarding foreign involvement in the Civil War, sending military aid to Francisco Franco's forces. Germany and Italy's involvement was crucial in allowing the Nationalists to gain a foothold in the Civil War after Emilio Mola's failed military coup, The presence of foreign troops from Italy helped to counter the influence of the 35,000 volunteers from the International Brigades who fought for the Republicans. -
Munich Conference
A conference during which the leaders of Great Britain, France, and Italy agreed to allow Germany to annex certain areas of Czechoslovakia. Chamberlain decided to follow a
policy of "appeasement" and give in to Hitler on this issue, in the hope that Hitler would not make any more demands. They officially agreed to the annexation of the Sudeten region to Germany. Hitler broke the agreement & France and Britain ended up being discredited. The conference became a symbol of appeasement. -
Italy invades Albania
The conflict was a result of the imperialist policies of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. Albania was rapidly overrun, and its ruler, forced into exile, and the country made part of the Italian Empire as a protectorate in personal union with the Italian crown. Upon the occupation of Albania and installation of a new government, the economies of Albania and Italy were connected through a customs union that resulted in the removal of most trade restrictions and rise in Italian monopolies. -
Italy enters WW II on side of Germany
Italy wanted to gain the territory of Turkey and Africa but they didn’t get what they wanted at end of WWI. Also, they were unhappy with the treaty of Versailles, they thought that injustice had been done to them. So it joined the side of Japan and Germany to get its territories back. On Oct. 13, 1943, one month after Italy surrendered to Allied forces, it declared war on Nazi Germany. -
Mussolini brought down by coup during WW II
Despite initial Axis military successes, the Italian military position quickly spun out of control as the Italian situation worsened and Mussolini lost the confidence of his own part. King Victor Emmanuel removed Mussolini from power in 1943. By the spring of 1945, it was clear that the German defeat was imminent, so Mussolini attempted to escape to neutral Switzerland with his mistress Clara Petacci. They were caught before they reached Switzerland and promptly arrested by communist partisans. -
Mussolini killed
The partisans seized Mussolini and Petacci. Fearing that the Nazis would again try to liberate the dictator, the partisans hid the pair in a remote farmhouse for the night. The following day, Mussolini and Petacci were removed from the house and driven to the small village of Giulino di Mezzegra on the shores of Lake Como. They were ordered to stand in front of a stone wall where they both were executed by machine gun fire. His dream of recreating the "Roman Empire" crumbled.
