The Rise of Mussolini in Italy

Benito Mussolini (1883-1945)

By: Katie Galough and Jen Tripp

 Problems after WWI
• 460,000 soldiers killed
• Heavy debt
• Britain and France did not give Italy the
land they promised
• Governments were all coalitions that
couldn’t make decisions
• Rising unemployment led to unrest in
cities
 The Treaty of Versailles
• Italians believed that it treated
them badly.
• Italy had not been given the land
promised at the Secret Treaty of
London.
• Italy’s foreign Minister Orlando left
before the conference ended, feeling
humiliated.
 What is fascism?
• A system of government with
centralized authority under a
dictator.

• Usually involves terror, censorship,

nationalism, and racism.
Benito Mussolini
 Mussolini gains power
• Mussolini set up a Fascist
Party and promised to
solve Italy’s problems
• Promised to rebuild Italy
and recreate the Roman
Empire
• Organized armed gangs
called the “Blackshirts”
• Came to power in 1922 and
was appointed Prime
Minister by King Victor
Emmanuel to prevent a
Communist Revolution in
Italy
 1922 March on Rome
• to establish Mussolini and the Fascist Party as
the most important party in Italy
• In 1921 the fascist parties in Italy joined
together to form the Fascist Party
• Mussolini said this at a party conference:

"Either the government will be given to

us or will shall seize it by marching on
Rome."
March on Rome, 1922
 Quote
• “Fascism should
rightly be called
Corporatism as it
is a merge of
state and
corporate
power.”~ Benito
Mussolini
Fascism under Mussolini
 Quote
• “Fascism conceives
of the State as an
absolute, in
comparison with
which all individuals
or groups are
relative, only to be
conceived in their
relation to the
State.” ~Benito
Mussolini
 Mussolini and Hitler

Hitler and Mussolini

had a close
relationship. In
October 1936 they
signed a non-
military alliance.
Mussolini signed a
full defensive
alliance with Nazi
Germany in the Pact
Mussolini and Hitler
of Steel.
 Italy during WWII

Mussolini intended to
annex Malta, Corsica, and
Tunis. He wanted to create
a “New Roman Empire.” He
annexed Albania, straining
the military. His troops
were unprepared for the
German invasion of Poland.
Italy remained neutral.

Mussolini during WWII

Italy during WWII cont’d
Italy soon declared
war on Britain and
France but troops were
unprepared. It was
defeated by Greece
and lost the world’s
first carrier strike.
Italy was defeated on
all fronts of the
Anglo-American
landing.

Mussolini
Quote from Mussolini’s speech in
Rome February 23, 1941
• “We are not like the English.
We boast that we are not like
them. We haven't elevated
lying into a government art
nor into a narcotic for the
people the way the London
government has done…when
the enemy wins a battle it is
useless and ridiculous to seek,
as the English do in their
incomparable hypocrisy, to
deny or diminish it.”
Propaganda postcard of
Mussolini
Mussolini’s Execution
Mussolini was taken
prisoner by the partisans
and was joined by his
mistress, Clara Petacci. A
few days later they were
shot to death. In April of
1945, their bodies were
hung at an Esso gas
station along with the
bodies of other fascist
leaders.
Mussolini and his mistress
 Questions
1) What were some of the problems that
Italy faces after WWI?
2)Why did Italians feel betrayed by the
Treaty of Versailles?
3)What is fascism, and how did Mussolini
gain control of the Italian government?
4)How did Italy fare during WWII?
5)What happened to Mussolini?
 Credits
• http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mussolini This is a detailed biography of
Mussolini. It was a good source because it explains fascism and Italy
during WWII. accessed 5/29/03
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/modern/fascism/fascihtm.htm We
found this site to be the most helpful. We got some fascism and the
Treaty of Versailles information from this site. accessed 5/29/03.
• http://members.aol.com/Custermen85/ILDUCE/Mussolini.htm This site
explained the execution of Mussolini in great detail. We took the
picture from his execution from this site. accessed 5/29/03.
• http://motlc.wiesenthal.com/gallery/pg18/pg7/pg18787.html This site
shows the history of Mussolini in pictures. We got a lot of our pictures
from this site. accessed 5/30/03.
• http://gi.grolier.com/wwii/wwii_mussolini.htm This site explains Italy
during WWII and has many good details. We got the majority of the
information about WWII from this site. accessed 5/29/03.
• http://www.thehistorychannel.co.uk/classroom/alevel/musso1.htm This
site had the diagram of fascism under Mussolini. accessed 5/30/03.
• http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWmussolini.htm This site
explains Mussolini’s rise to power and Italy’s involvement in WWII as
well as the outcome of the Treaty of Versailles. accessed 5/30/03.
 Credits cont’d
• http://images.google.com/images This site was helpful when we
were searching for pictures and maps.
• http://quotes.telemanage.ca/quotes.nsf/QuotesByCatPerson!
ReadForm&RestrictToCategory=Benito+Mussolini This site has
quotes from Mussolini about fascism.
• http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/policy/1941/410223a.html This site
had an entire speech that Mussolini gave in Rome in 1941. We
took a quote from this speech.
• http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/march_on_rome.htm This
site explained the March on Rome. This is where we got all of
the information about the March on Rome.
• http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/history/core/pics/0255/img
0023.jpg
This is where we got the picture from the March on Rome.
• http://www.geocities.com/schutze_games/MarchCov.gif This is
where we got the map of the March on Rome.