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Formation of an independent Italy
The Risorgimento nationalist movement, or “rebirth,” made a unified and independent Italy from the Austrian Empire. The Catholic Church was kept as a separate state in Rome. The people of Italy, however, were still not truly united. The map shows Italy before and after physical unification, expressing the change from being divided among other empires into being made into its own country. -
(Sept-Oct) Papal States taken over by new nation of Italy
The Italian, seeking empirical expansion, invaded the Papal States and later were able to annex the Papal States and Rome to the Italian Kingdom. The map highlights the Papal States and Rome before and after Italian Annexation. This expresses significant Italian gain in land. -
(1895-96) Failure of First Italo-Ethiopian War with the Battle of Adowa (Adwa)
The Italians were defeated in the First Italo-Ethiopian War, fought over the Italian attempt of taking over Ethiopia, as the Ethiopian army heavily outnumbered the Italians at the Battle of Adwa. As Italy was also less technologically advanced compared to the Ethiopians, this initial failure at empirical expansion pushed an increased Italian imperial policy to regain their worldly position. This piece of art expresses the Italian disadvantage at this war: they were outnumbered and over powered. -
(Sept-Nov 1911) Italy invades and takes over Libya
Italy invades the Turkish colony Libya to grow the Italian Empire and prevent French influence in North Africa. In 1912 Turkey accepted loss to the Italians, allowing the achievement of Italian goals. Italy sought for empirical gain and increased imperial policy as a result of their defeat at Abyssinia in 1896. The map depicts Italy's gains in Libya, coming from the Ottoman Empire, France, and Britain. -
Mussolini begins work as editor for the Socialist Party newspaper Avanti
Mussolini, still under the social party as influenced by his father, was an editor of the socialist newspaper “Avanti!” in Milan and advocated for revolutionary violence against the liberal state. While not quite Marxist, his ‘socialism’ was more anti-clerical republicanism. The advertisement depicted is significant with this in that it depicts Mussolini's initial favor of socialist ideas. However, his values later change to favor nationalism and fascism. -
Mussolini kicked out of Socialist Party for pro-nationalistic sentiments regarding WW I
Mussolini, influenced by his friends, began to favor the extreme nationalist position and later set up “Il Popolo d’Italia” to campaign for Italian entry into WWI, which is depicted. He continued advocating as he was supported by wealthy Italian companies, the French government, Britain, and Tsarist Russia. This caused his expulsion from the socialist party. This image is significant as his new paper embodied his change to favor nationalism rather than socialism. -
Treaty of London
Leading Italian politicians signs the Treaty of London to join the war with the Triple Entente. This decision was influenced by the promises to Italy given by the Triple Entente, which included territories like contested Austrian territory in South Tyrol, Istria, and northern Dalmatia on the Adriatic coast. The significance is displayed in the picture, where Italy is initially happy in its alliance with Britain for their potential gains after war. -
(1919-1920) Beginning of Biennio Rosso
The Biennio Rosso occurs with strikes and factory and land occupations, by trade unions and peasant leagues, swept across Italy. Caused by the frustration of large unemployment by 1919, socialists seized control of the local government and nearly started a communist revolution. The government did little to control the chaos, appearing as incompetent to middle/upper classes. The image is significant as it depicts some of the many that were involved, displaying widespread frustration. -
Fascio di Combattimento formed in Milan
The Mascio di Combattimento is formed in Milan as an attempt that Mussolini took to unite Arditi groups. Its members, also called “Fascists of the first hour,” aimed to unite nationalists and socialists, with all sharing a hatred of the liberal state. The image is of their logo, symbolizing fascist values of power and strength. -
D’Annunzio takes Fiume
Gabriele D’Annunzio led a force to Fiume and took control. His actions were admired by Italian nationalists and served as inspiration to Mussolini, who then adopted D’Annunzio’s ideas of theatrical trappings, the black shirts of Arditi, the ancient Roman salute, parades, and balcony speeches. The cartoon depicts D'Annunzio plotting for further empirical expansion, which is significant in that it inspired Mussolini yet concerned other countries like the US. -
Mussolini forms alliance with Giolitti
Mussolini privately reassured Giolitti and other liberal politicians that the fascist revolution should not be taken too seriously. Having less concern about being overrun, Giolitti offered the fascists an electoral alliance (Anti-Socialist National Bloc). During elections, the fascists won only 35 seats, yet Mussolini was satisfied to where he said the fascists would not support Giolitti’s coalition government. The cartoon shows Giolitti, a politician who wanted to prevent socialist revolution. -
Mussolini forms the PNF (Fascist Party) and is elected its leader
Mussolini persuades the Fasci di Combattimento to re-form the organization into a political party, creating the Partito Nazionale Fascista (PNF). He then persuaded the Fascist National Congress to make him the leader of the party. As a result, Mussolini agreed to end the truce with the socialists and ordered branches for action squads, making Mussolini the true leader of a united political party. The image is of the PNF logo, resembling that of the Fasci and hence showing its unity. -
March on Rome and Mussolini becomes Prime Minister
The March on Rome happens with fascist squads taking over town halls, railways, telephones in northern Italy on October 27, meeting minimal resistance. On October 29, 1922 Mussolini became the Prime Minister of Italy. This technically makes the “march” a myth, as the milita arrived in Rome on October 30, after Mussolini secured his position.The cartoon depicts Mussolini leading in ideologies like dictatorship. This is significant because it shows his supposed emerging leadership here. -
(July 1923) Acerbo Law passed
This new electoral law made it so that the party with the most votes during the election would take 2/3 of the seats in parliament as long as their voting percentage was equal to or over 25%. To ensure that it would be passed, Mussolini overcame opposition by threatening the abolition of parliament and placing armed fascist guards to intimidate deputies. His success in gaining majority is significant as depicted in the diagram, as from then on the Fascist Party gained legal power. -
(Aug 29-Sept 27 1923) Corfu Incident
A number of Italian officials in Corfu were assassinated. This cased Mussolini to demand the Greek government to pay compensation and apologize. While Greece instead appealed to the League of Nations, Mussolini invaded Greece but eventually withdraws with pressure from Britain and France and also gets compensation and the apology from Greece. This causes the people of Italy to view Mussolini as a savior, as depicted by him being the "new Caesar" in the cartoon. -
(June 1924) Aventine Secession
Deputies opposed to Mussolini from the Matteotti Crisis boycotted parliament and set up an alternative parliamentary assembly, in attempt to force the king to dismiss Mussolini. But the king instead blamed the deputies for unconstitutional behavior. The image depicts the Roman plebs, which the Aventine group was named after, and is significant as it depicts their perspective in that they thought they were just in being like their ancestors by protesting for their place. -
Matteotti Crisis
Giacomo Matteotti, an active socialist that condemned fascist violence and claimed corruption in the election of April 1924, was abducted in Rome, an action that was later assumed to be a murder. This caused people to distance themselves from Mussolini’s regime. Mussolini arrested Amerigo Dumini (Jun 15) to gain back support, yet newspapers printed evidence of Mussolini’s involvement in the murder. The cartoon depicts the perspective against Mussolini, this crisis used as means to discredit him. -
Battle for Grain
Mussolini aimed to get Italian farmers to grow more cereals to reduce Italy’s dependence on foreign imports, in response to the poor harvest and a consequent increase in grain imports. Northern Italy began to grow more wheat and became more mechanized, which later benefited industrial firms. The image is propaganda used for this Battle, and is significant as it portrays the positive image that Mussolini tried to make of himself to gain support from the Italian public. -
(Oct 5-16, 1925) Locarno Treaty signed
The Locarno Pacts are signed. This dismantled some of the negative outcomes of the Treaty of Versailles for Italy, making this appear as a significant international achievement for the people of Italy. The cartoon depicts the agreement, with France having the boxing glove behind his back symbolizing what would later be Italian resentment of France. -
Battle for Land and Battle for the Lira
Battle for Land sought for more farmland, where marshes were drained, more small farms were created and made work for the unemployed. (Aug 18) Battle for the Lira, where the lire was re-valued. Although both meant to help, the BFLa only reclaimed one significant area and the BFLi found a decline in exports, increased unemployment and the beginning of a recession. The depicted propaganda is what Mussolini promised Italians with his policies, favoring the Italians, but this did not happen. -
Battle for Births
Battle for Births attempted to increase the Italian population for a future army to expand the empire. It encouraged early marriage, gave maternity benefits, exhorted women not to work, etc. This ultimately downgraded the social status of Italian women, which still hardly did anything as the number of births actually declined and many women remained to be in the workforce. The image shows the children being trained, which is significant as it reflects Mussolini's purpose in this "battle." -
Kellogg-Briand Treaty signed
This pact promoted peace among Britain, France, and Italy. Mussolini sought these improved relations in order to reverse the Treaty of Versailles. The cartoon depicts this attempt, with peace dragging the "wicked world" with it and the treaty into foverever. -
Lateran Treaty with Pope (signed)
Negotiation between fascists and Cardinal Gasparri led to the 3 Lateran Agreements that ended conflict between the papacy and the Italian state. It did things like give papal sovereignty over Vatican City, the pope recognized the Italian state and its possession of Rome and former papal states. The the image depicts the significant support that Mussolini gained from the church, these agreements confirmed Catholicism as a rival ideology to fascism an prevented a truly totalitarian dictatorship. -
Abyssinian Crisis (Oct 1935-1936)
Italy invades Abyssinia in October 1935, caused the League of Nations to enforce a trade ban (with the exception of oil). The Hoare-Laval pact was then made as a secret deal outside the League of Nations with Mussolini dividing Abyssinia, was leaked to the pressed, and heavily damaged the reputations of Britain and France. The cartoon shows the Italian mindset of invincibility, as they assumed that Britain and France would turn a blind eye, that Italy could conquer Abyssinia without consequence. -
Stresa Front
The Stresa Front proposed an alliance of Italy, Great Britain, and France to stop a developing Germany led by Hitler. The Anglo-German Naval Agreement (June 1935) prevents this alliance from taking off. British and French opposition to Mussolini’s invasion of Abyssinia angered him and damaged the potential for this alliance. The cartoon depicts the idea behind the alliance, where Italy, GB, and France would "deal" behind a growing Germany. -
Italian involvement with Spanish Civil War
Italy is involved with the Spanish Civil War. Although the Italian military faced big losses, involvement in this war improved Mussolini’s prestige and factored into the rise of Franco and furthered Fascism in Europe. As both Mussolini and Hitler supported Franco with troops and equipment, the two became closer together and contributed to the creation of the Rome-Berlin Axis. This growing friendship between them is depicted as they dance together with Franco in this cartoon. -
Rome-Berlin Axis Treaty signed
This signified the pact that Mussolini made with Hitler. In addition to the AntiComintern Pact that was signed between Germany, Italy, and Japan, this pact strengthen Hitler’s position. The image displays Hitler and Mussolini shaking hands, showing their true alliance and their change from somewhat opposing each other to supporting each other as two fascist leaders. -
(Sept 28-29) Munich Conference
The Munich Conference is held, where the leaders of Great Britain, France, and Italy allowed Germany to annex specific areas of Czechoslovakia. This conference resulted from a series of negotiations between these countries. The cartoon depicts a purpose of the conference: an attempt to at least temporarily satisfy Hitler to prevent major conflict. -
(Apr 7-12) Italy invades Albania
In attempt to not be completely overshadowed by Hitler, Mussolini made imperial policies to invade Albania. Albania was quickly defeated and made part of the Italian Empire as a protectorate. The cartoon depicts the ease at which Italy was able to conquer Albania, like a snake would devour a bunny. -
Italy enters WW II on side of Germany
Italy enters WWII and sides with Nazi Germany. After Mussolini and Hitler found their similar interests in the promotion of Fascism, especially with their involvement in the Spanish Civil War, the two leaders allied with one another in the major world conflict. The cartoon depicted what would eventually be made of Italy's, and Mussolini's, image in WWII, where Mussolini would come to be overshadowed by Hitler rather than being equal partners in power. -
Mussolini brought down by coup during WW II
A coup goes against Mussolini. This led into the Fascist Grand Council voting 19 to 7 to remove Mussolini from power, which led into the King ordering Mussolini’s resignation on July 25th. Being easily overthrown, arrested, and imprisoned, Mussolini’s fall displayed that he never imposed a totalitarian regime. The newspaper photo confirms the king's power over Mussolini, as Mussolini was easily stripped of his power, as though simply "fired" from a job. -
Mussolini killed
After Mussolini was arrested on April 27 by a group of Italian partisans, on April 28 he is taken by communist partisans and is killed. The image shows his hanging, which is significant because of how quickly Mussolini was stripped of his power and executed. This shows that Mussolini lacked true control in the Italian state that he tried to set up.
