Rise+to+Mussolini+and+fascism

Edited by Sam Fabro




 * Mussolini: The Early Years**

Benito Mussolini was born July 29th, 1883 in Dovia di Predappio, Italy. He was born into quite a poor family, having a father as a blacksmith and his mother an elementary school teacher. He became an intelligent child as he grew up, but was quick to show his wicked love of violence and outstanding ego. He would soon flourish into the intimating individual foreshadowed in his childhood. He did not spend his life as his father did, poverty stricken and in monotony, but he did share a similar belief when he became older. Like father, he became involved in socialist beliefs. This had been inspired after a move to Switzerland, a decision made to escape his duties in the military. In 1902 he was involved in this form of politics, soon to be writing for the Socialist Press.


 * Return to Italy**

Two years later, Mussolini returned to his country, Italy. From there he was dedicated to Socialism, also spending time in the military. Within the next eight years he had shocked, inspired and argued in his writing. He was making a real mark on Italian politics. For the Socialist Party Congress, in 1912 he wrote for their daily news titled //Avanti//. Mussolini was about revolution. His later years show that he was not bluffing when he cried out for revolt!


 * The Fascist Party**

In March 1919, Mussolini took matters into his own hands. The Fascist Party was established. The emerging dictator created his own army, building forces out of war veterans, middle-class youths and anti-Communists. He gave them a uniform and they were therefore known as the "Blackshirts". This army was aggressive and like Mussolini, was not afraid to use extreme violence to make a point. The leader put great emphasis also on the way he spoke to the masses. He called the Mediterranean, "Mare Nostrum", meaning "our sea" in many of his speeches.




 * The March on Rome**

Although essentially, this was no March, it has a massive and destructive effect that would forever change Italy. The event took place in October, 1922. Mussolini's party had grown large and strong, having approximately 300,000 members. With their leader, 26,000 of these men threatened to March Rome if the government did not restore order. The Parliament feared this threat but the man they sent to stop it, King Emmanuel III feared a civil war more. To prevent this he had Mussolini form his own government and the troops did not have to march. Now the dictator had the power he had always wanted and took vicious actions to continue his climb up the ladder. Soon he was running a coalition government and calling himself "Il Duce" or "the leader".




 * The Rule of Mussolini/Totalitarianism**

Mussolini took extreme measures. The Acerbo Law gave him a majority in election so the power he wanted was officially his. He soon eliminated freedoms of him people including press, speech, and arbitrary arrest. If there was a potential threat to his authority, they would disappear. Matteotti of the socialist party was among one of them to vanish. The OVRA were a secret police created in 1927 and the Lateran Accords linked Benito with the church. Here is where the Pope was able to rule the Vatican as his own city.

Opponents feared Mussolini, a picture of him was hung in every classroom and the economy appeared to be working better. His totalitarian dictatorship seemed to be running as smoothly as the leader had hoped.

Mussolini also successfully became involved in many invasions. He had dived into Ethiopia to expand Italian territory. He helped in the Spanish Civil War on Franco's side and joined teams with Hitler when he came into power.


 * Hitler's Rise**

When Hitler came into the picture, Mussolini seemed smaller and insignificant than prior. He was on the German side but while they were becoming powerful, the Italian leader was taking hits from European Allies. In the late 1930's when Mussolini's army began to fall, it was Hitler who brought him back up. But he was not in his original state. Instead he was used as a puppet. This shallow resurrection is his career lasted until 1945, when he was executed.


 * References:**

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/mussolini_benito.shtml http://www.notablebiographies.com/Mo-Ni/Mussolini-Benito.html#b //History Twelve Student Workbook//