-
Formation of an Independent Italy
This picture was chosen because it illustrates geographically how Italy had unified by 1861. -
Papal States taken over by new nation of Italy
This image was chosen because it illustrates the profound change in the Italian border after this territorial acquisition. -
Failure of First Italo-Ethiopian War with the Battle of Adowa (Adwa)
This image was chosen because it is a valuable artistic representation of the disparity between Italy and its opponent technologically, highlighting the unexpected nature of Italy's defeat. -
Italy Invades and Takes Over Libya
This image was chosen because it illustrated geographically how Italy's territory changed upon its acquisition of Libya. -
Mussolini Begins Work as Editor for the Socialist Party Wewspaper Avanti
This image was chosen because it is an actual newspaper that Mussolini could have edited, making it a valuable primary source. -
Mussolini Kicked Out of Socialist Party for Pro-Nationalistic Sentiments Regarding WWI
This image was chosen because it is an actual example of Mussolini's own pro-war newspaper, which he started at a similar time to being expelled by the socialists. -
Treaty of London
This image was chosen because it depicts the actual signatures of the Treaty, making it a valuable primary source. -
Beginning of Biennio Rosso
This image was chosen because it significantly depicts the mass violence during Bienno Rosso. -
Fascio di Combattimento formed in Milan
This photo was chosen to show the unity and number of members of the Fascio di Combattimento. -
D’Annunzio takes Fiume
The photo was chosen as it shows D’Annunzio and his supporters in Fiume during this time period; it showcases his mass support, as well as their pride about the situation. -
Mussolini forms alliance with Giolitti
This photo was chosen in order to display the relations and unity between Mussolini and Giolitti at this point. -
Mussolini forms the PNF (Fascist Party) and is elected its leader
This flag was chosen because it depicts a fasces over the flag of Italy, which was carried in ancient Rome as a symbol of power, also representing power in fascist italy. -
March on Rome and Mussolini becomes Prime Minister
This picture was picked due to the demonstration with him alongside them: it highlights his unity with his supporters that he tried very hard to make apparent. -
Acerbo Law passed
This photo was chosen because it shows his serious nature, and therefore dedicated approach to the law's passing. -
Corfu Incident
This image was chosen to demonstrate the army's numbers and their unity that invaded Corfu. -
Matteotti Crisis
This picture was chosen because it shows the chaos following the discovery of Matteotti's body. -
Aventine Secession
This image was chosen because it represents the first Aventine Secession by the Plebeians in Ancient Rome. The Plebeians, much like many of the deputies during the modern Aventine Secession, seceded due to discontent towards the government, and thus the Plebeians (and the deputies) decided to withdraw from the government and force concessions to be made. -
Battle for Grain (Battle for Wheat)
This image depicting propaganda released by Mussolini's government in favor of the Battle for Grain was chosen because it depicts how Mussolini felt about Italy achieving self-sufficiency. In his eyes, if Italy would produce enough grain to support its people, then it would have a real chance at becoming the new Roman Empire, depicted by a Roman-esque statue holding the grain in its hand. -
Locarno Treaty Signed
This political cartoon was chosen to represent the Locarno Treaty because it represented both the failure and success of the Locarno Treaty as a measure to prevent another global scale conflict like WWI. While the Locarno Treaty was a move in the right direction, the political cartoon illustrates that the step from the Dawes Plan (ensuring economic stability in Germany) to the Locarno Treaty would be smaller than the step from the Locarno Treaty to total disarmament - the goal of the treaty. -
Battle for Land
This map of the Pontine Area was chosen because it depicts the only real success of the Battle for Land, which was that the Pontine Marshes near Rome were drained to make more land available for farming. -
Battle for the Lira
This image was chosen because it represents the Italian Lira, which is what the Battle of the Lira was all about. To prevent internal rising prices and to restore Italian prestige on the world stage, Mussolini had the Lira re-valued internationally, because during this period, the Lira had lost a significant amount of its value internationally. -
Battle for Births
This image was chosen because it represents the underlying goal of the Battle for Births: to indoctrinate women and have them give birth to as many children as possible so that Italy's population would boom and Mussolini would have a significantly larger Italian army in the future. The reason six children are depicted here is to illustrate that women were expected to have a lot of children, and were even rewarded with tax exemptions and medals for doing so. -
Kellogg-Briand Treaty Signed
This political cartoon was chosen because it demonstrates the failure of the Kellogg-Briand Treaty when it came to international peacekeeping. Not only did it fail to temper the rising militarism in Europe prior to the breakout of WWII, but WWII was the final, and biggest, failure that came out of the Kellogg-Briand Treaty, shown in the image as the last firecracker that exploded in the face of the world after a series of incidents demonstrating the treaty's failure. -
Lateran Treaty with Pope
This image, depicting Pope Pius XI and Benito Mussolini signing the Lateran Treaty, was chosen because it shows the importance of this treaty for both parties. Benito Mussolini benefitted because he gained favor in the eyes of the Catholics in Italy by granting the Pope, and the Vatican, sovereignty, and the Pope benefitted because now the Vatican was under the direct rule of the Pope (more specifically under the Holy See). -
Abyssinian Crisis
This image was chosen because it shows how far inwards Wal-wal is ocmpared to the land Italy actually had control over. It also shows the different colonies surrounding Ethiopia and gives a good understanding of the geography of the region -
Stresa Front
This image was chosen because it depicts the two different sides and which countries belonged to these sides after the Stresa Front was signed. The blue depicts those who signed the Stresa Front, which would be France, Italy, and Great Britain, and the brown represents Nazi Germany, which was whom the Stresa Front was designed to counter during this period. -
Rome-Berlin Axis Treaty Signed
This picture was chosen because it displays Mussolini and Hitler as now being on good relations since they both are smiling. Although this may not be the reality, the two nations were publicly presented as now being allies. -
Italian Involvement with Spanish Civil War
The picture is in Spanish and translate to “the claw of the Italian invader intends to enslave us”. This shows that the Republicans in Spain were trying to paint Italy as being hostile and make the nationalists seem bad because they were giving Spain away to Italy. -
Munich Confrence
The following picture was chosen to put into perspective how much land Germany was given during the Munich Conference even though Czechoslovakia was never invited to discuss what land they would give up to Hitler. -
Italy Invades Albania
The following picture was chosen because it shows why the port of Vlorë was important. It was connected to the Adriatic sea and would allow Italy to conduct military operations in the Balkans -
Italy Enters WWII on side of Germany
This picture was chosen to show how Italian reacted to Mussolini joining WWII. This shows that the people supported Mussolini since there were “Cheering Italian[s]” at Mussolini’s speech where he declared Italy’s invovlement in WWII -
Mussolini brought down by coup during WWII
The following picture was chosen to show how much control Mussolini lost once he was kicked out of power. He used to rule over the entirely of Italy, but after the coup, he now only ruled half of Italy thanks to the help of the Germans -
Mussolini killed
The following picture was chosen to show how much support Mussolini lost. The once great Duce is now seen hanging from a gas station in Milan while hundreds of Italians watch and abuse him.
