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Formation of an independent Italy
Italy gained independence from Austria and became its own nation in 1861. Italy was unified through the Risorgimento. Although Italy was unified, it wasn't truly unified due to many divisions within the country. The government of the new Italy was mostly run by liberals and the Popolari, but they ran the country poorly and ineffectively.
The image displays maps of Italy before and after unification and how the separate states came together. -
Papal States taken over by new nation of Italy
The Papal States were placed into the newly unified national of Italy along with Rome after France could no longer protect the Papal States. The capital of Italy was later moved from Florence to Rome.These actions did not seat well with those in the Papal States.
This image shows how the church and state got closer with the Papal States getting taken over by the new Kingdom of Italy. There were bound to be issues with the two coming together. -
Failure of First Italo-Ethiopian War with the Battle of Adowa (Adwa)
Italy lost to the Ethiopians who managed to get some more modern weapons like guns and fight off the Italians. Italians had approximately 17,000 while Ethiopians had around 100,000 fighters. Italy tried to surprise attack the Ethiopians with an early morning attack but it failed because the Ethiopians were already up.
This image displays how the Ethiopians had to fight against the Italians with modern weapons while they had handmade and old-fashioned weapons and only some modern weaponry. -
Italy invades and takes over Libya
Italy invaded Libya, a Turkish province, in 1911. After failing a few times to come to a peaceful agreement, war broke out. A peace agreement came about in 1912 and Libya would become Italian Libya. However, the war had cost millions of lira and took an immense economic toll on Italy.
This image shows money in the trash to depict how the war with Libya was a waste of lots of lira (money) in the view of parts of the Italian government due to the tool it took on the economy. -
Mussolini begins work as editor for the Socialist Party newspaper Avanti
After violent demonstrations against the Italian war on Libya, Mussolini was imprisoned for his part for trying to provoke an insurrection during the anti-war protests. After his 1912, he became editor of the Socialist Party’s newspaper Avanti! in Milan. He pushed for violence against the liberal government.
This picture depicts the sort of agenda Mussolini put out while he was editor of Avanti. He was very anti-liberal at this point but he would later ally with liberals to gain more power. -
Mussolini kicked out of Socialist Party for pro-nationalistic sentiments regarding WW I
Mussolini dropped class struggle ideas for an extreme nationalist position, pushing for Italian involvement in WWI. In November 1914, Mussolini was fired from Avanti! but set up his own newspaper, Il Popolo d’Italia, to push for war involvement. Because of this, he was kicked out of the Socialist Party.
This image is an Avanti headline which exclaims that Mussolini and associates had been executed and that they payed with their lives. This shows the distaste Socialists had for Mussolini. -
Treaty of London
The Treaty of London was an agreement between Italy and the Triple Entente promising that certain Adriatic Coast territories and former Italian with Italian speakers and populations if Italy joined their side and didn't join Austria Hungary and Germany. It feel through after the war due to the Treaty of Versailles. Many Italians felt stabbed in the back including people like Mussolini.
This image depicts how Italy felt back-stabbed since the Allies didn't keep their promises from the treaty. -
Beginning of Biennio Rosso
Biennio Rosso, which means the two red years, were two very violent years (1919-1920). It was due to the high unemployment and poor economical and political state in Italy. Strikes, factory occupations, and land occupations were common during this time. The government took little action during this time to push the land and factory owners to compromise with workers.
The image is the color red which represents the violence and conflict that occurred during the Biennio Rosso. -
Fascio di Combattimento formed in Milan
Mussolini formed the Fascio di Combattimento (combat or fighting group) in Milan to try and unite various groups together which held ideals and demands from the right wing and left wing. They were more united because they all hated the liberal state.
The image represents what the majority of the group once were: soldiers. Many bitter veterans joined Mussolini's group due to their distaste for liberals who they felt had wronged them by sending them to a war that reaped very little. -
D’Annunzio takes Fiume
General D'Annuzio led 2,000 armed men into Fiume which is a city that Vittorio Orlando failed to acquire during the WWI peace treaties. D'Annuzio and his men took over the city and held it for 15 months before they gave it up. This action caused D'Annuzio to gain favor with nationalists. He also became an inspiration to Mussolini who adopted some of D'Annuzio's tactics.
This image depicts a hero which is what D'Annuzio was like to the Italian nationalists and to some extent Mussolini. -
Mussolini forms alliance with Giolitti
Giolitti offered Mussolini an alliance for the upcoming 1921 elections after Mussolini assured liberals that a fascist revolution wouldn't happen. After the election, the socialists still had the biggest party, but Mussolini was pleased that the fascists got 35 seats as it made the fascists look more legitimate.
This image depicts a symbiotic relationship of a clown fish and a sea anemone where both parties benefit. This is what Giolitti wanted to happen but Mussolini really only benefited. -
Mussolini forms the PNF (Fascist Party) and is elected its leader
In October 1921, Mussolini pushed members of the Fasci di Combattimento to rename it the Partito Nazionale Fascista (PNF, a political party. In November 1921, Mussolini persuaded the Fascist National Congress to elect him as leader. Afterwards, he agreed to end the truce with the socialists, and ordered all branches to organize squadristi groups.
The image depicts a symbol (the ax) of the PNF called the fasces that symbolizes a magistrate's power. It's where the term fascism is derived from. -
March on Rome and Mussolini becomes Prime Minister
The March on Rome was where the ras planned to go to Rome to seize national power. They took major cities in northern and central Italy, some of which the army took back. The king tried to negotiate instead of arresting Mussolini. Mussolini refused his previous offers and only wanted to be prime minister. Mussolini got what he wanted after Salandra told the king to do Mussolini's bidding.
This image depicts how the March on Rome was the fascists trying to 'step over' the Italian government. -
Acerbo Law passed
The Acerbo Law is an electoral law passed by Giacomo Acerbo whose purpose was getting the fascist party more seats in Parliament. Mussolini wanted more seats because propositions were passed by majority rule. This would give Mussolini and fascists more power. This rule was only used during the 1924 election but the number of fascists in Parliament went from 35 to 374.
This image is of a lawyer to represent how Mussolini went through legal means to gain more power for fascists, not violence. -
Corfu Incident
The Corfu Incident (Aug 29, 1923 – Sep 27, 1923) was an Italian general was murdered on Greek land while making maps of a disputed area. Mussolini then demanded that Greece pay money as compensation and apologize. After Greece refused the terms Mussolini sent Italian forces to invade Corfu. The Greek government later did the terms. Many Italians saw Mussolini as a hero after this.
The image displays how Greece felt about apologizing to Italy since they only apologized after being threatened. -
Aventine Secession
The Aventine Secession was where opposition groups like socialists and communists to boycott parliament in protest, under the leadership of the liberal Giovanni Amendola. They were protesting the preceding events during the 1924 election and trying to force the king to get rid of Mussolini which did not happen.
The image shows protests occurring which is similar to what some of the Parliament members tried to do in order to get Mussolini removed from Parliament after the Matteotti Crisis. -
Matteotti Crisis
The Matteotti Crisis was where Matteotti, a socialist, condemned the violence and corruption that fascists used during the 1924 election. He said he was going to expose them but on June 10th he was abducted and on August 18th they found his body. Even though Dumini was the one charged, people accused Mussolini of being involved thus tarnishing his reputation.
The image depicts Mussolini's anger at Matteotti's accusations against him and his anger at being blamed for his death. -
Battle for Grain
Battle for Grain was where Mussolini wanted Italy to produce its own grain in order for the country to be more self-sufficient. He told farmers to start farming a lot of grain. He stopped the planting of other products like grapes, olives, etc. This lead to grain production doubling and other products declining and causing shortages. Italy was now forced to rely on other countries more. The plan ultimately failed.
The image depicts wheat which was what Mussolini wanted farmers to plant more of -
Locarno Treaty signed
The Locarno Treaties were seven agreements made in Switzerland in October 1925 and signed in London later. It addressed securing post-war territorial settlements for the WWI Western European Allied powers and the new Central & Eastern European states and fixing relations the Reich while stated that Germany would never war with others.
This treaty hoped to fix any problems in Europe including stopping Germany from war, so that things could run smoothly again like the patched up tire in the image. -
Battle for Land and Battle for the Lira
Battle for Land was where Mussolini wanted to increase the amount of land for agricultural expansion. Actions he took included converted marshes into farm land. Battle for the Lira was where Mussolini wanted to make the lira's value higher like other European currency. He had it revalued but this was ultimately failed and led to more financial issues.
The image displays land which Mussolini wanted more of and money whose value he hoped to raise. These actions were to make Italy a greatpower. -
Battle for Births
Mussolini wanted to increase the population by persuading women to have more children and stay out of the work force. This connects to him wanting Italy to become a powerful military force with a large nation. The women's family were also influenced by tax deductions if they had 6 kids or more. It failed and the birth rate declined. Women were still working.
This image depicts the family size Mussolini wanted Italians to have so he'd have a lot of people to build his militaristic empire with. -
Kellogg-Briand Treaty signed
A treaty created by France and the USA which was signed between several nations promising not to have war and to settle conflicts peacefully by any means. This treaty was ultimately a failure as it did not prevent wars or conflicts and it especially did not stop the Second World War from happening.
The image depicts what the USA and France wanted with this pact which was peace in the world instead of violence and war. -
Lateran Treaty with Pope
The Lateran Treaty recognized the Vatican City as an independent and sovereign state apart from the Kingdom of Italy. Mussolini promised to give the Roman Catholic Church reparations for losing the Papal States as well.
The image shows the Vatican City n in the modern day as a sovereign city-state apart from Italy. It is the headquarters for the Catholic Church till this day. This is all thanks to the Lateran Treaty. -
Abyssinian Crisis
The Abyssinian Crisis was a result of Italy's aggressive policy towards Ethiopia. Mussolini wanted to take Ethiopia, the only African nation that had escaped colonialism.This crisis marked the Italy's withdrawal from the League of Nations and cementing its alliance with Nazi Germany. The League of Nations failure to stop the Italian invasion discredited the international organization.
The image depicts how Ethiopia was the lone country in Africa left for Mussolini to overtake for his empire. -
Stresa Front
The Stresa Front was an agreement between France, Britain, and Italy against Germany's new regime. They did not like how Germany was operating especially with trying to rearm and build a military even though the Treaty of Versailles had forbidden it. The coalition eventually fell apart and Italy later ended up working very closely with Germany.
The image depict an upset Hitler while France, Britain, and Germany plot against Nazi Germany which was becoming uncomfortably powerful and militaristic. -
Italian involvement with Spanish Civil War
Mussolini decided to help the Nationalist side during the Spanish Civil War. He gave aid such as money, bombs, and guns to General Francisco Franco's nationalist side which was somewhat similar to Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany who upheld strong nationalistic views. He even sent thousands of soldiers to add the cause including several Blackshirts.
This image shows Mussolini and Franco together. They had similar nationalistic views so Mussolini helped Franco when able much like with Hitler. -
Rome-Berlin Axis Treaty signed
The Rome-Berlin Axis Treaty was an agreement between Italy and Germany which connected the fascist nations together informally. It was more of a political agreement since they didn't share some of the same ideologies like anti-Semitism. Later on, the two started to combine more and more similar as Germany grew stronger.
The image is of twins since Italy and Germany would become more and more similar overtime especially through this treaty which linked them together. -
Munich Conference
A meeting between Italy, Britain, France, and Germany which established that Germany could take over the Sudetenland. The purpose of agreeing to this was to prevent war from occurring and to maintain peace. Because of this reason, most of Europe supported the agreement especially since Hitler said it would be his last conquest in Europe.
The image is of the Munich Conference where the leaders of Italy, Britain, France, and Germany tried to work together peacefully to avoid war. -
Italy invades Albania
Italy invaded Albania in order to expand the Italian Empire. Albania was invaded because it had once been part of the Roman Empire and because Germany had began invading nearby nations and enlarging Nazi Germany. After the invasion, Italy and Albania became connected through government and economy. During WWII, Albanian forces fought against Italian forces and pushed them out.
The image shows cheese-connected sandwich which is reminiscent of Italy and Albania's connection post invasion. -
Italy enters WW II on side of Germany
Italy initially didn't want to join the war, but did after France surrendered. Mussolini hoped to gain some British territory in Africa and the Middle East to expand the Italian Empire. Much of the desired land was apart of the Roman Empire which Mussolini wanted Italy to become like. Italy's military was not very strong due to past military ventures.
The image is a map of the countries who had land in Africa and the Middle East. Some of the land Italy wanted is right next to Libya, its colony. -
Mussolini brought down by coup during WW II
On July 25, 1943, Mussolini was kicked out of power by the Grand Council. They discussed leaving the war which was seen as a lost cause for Italy. Through the ordeal, Mussolini was quiet and tired. The king replaced Mussolini with a new prime minister. Afterwards, Mussolini was arrested by police who had been planning a way to take Mussolini out of power.
The image shows Mussolini's hopelessness as he was being removed from power and his regime was falling apart as Italy failed in the war. -
Mussolini killed
Mussolini, his mistress, and a few other officials were assassinated by partisans when he attempted to cross the Swedish border. They had fled from north Italy where Mussolini had had a puppet government. After their assassination, their bodies were brought back to Italy.
The picture is an image of people looking at Mussolini's corpse in Italy after Mussolini, his mistress, and other associates were executed via firing squad. .
