Challenges to the Liberal State

Question 1

How did the people of Italy feel after the First World War?

Answer 1

Betrayed - and Fiume became a powerful symbol of their discontent

Question 2

How was the location of Fiume used by Nationalists and Fascists?

Answer 2

Exploited to emphasise the betrayal of the Italian armed forces by both the Allies and weak Liberal government - led to the phrase ‘Mutilated Victory’

Question 3

How was the rejection of the occupation of Fiume angering for Italians?

Answer 3

Negotiators were seen as failures for not achieving the demand - this failure led to Nationalist D’Annunzio leading an invasion and seizure of Fiume in 1919

Question 4

What occurred on September 1919?

Answer 4

D’Annunzio led 2,000 former soldiers and seized Fiume - no resistance of the takeover which led the occupation to last for 15 months

Question 5

Why was Giolitti’s actions seen to be unpopular?

Answer 5

Unpatriotic - occupation became a symbol of nationalist defiance

Question 6

Why did the government’s response time damage their credibility?

Answer 6

. Slow response time
. Unwillingness to prevent such illegal actions - gave momentum to opponents - force could be used to achieve political aims

Question 7

How did the occupation of Fiume influence Mussolini?

Answer 7

. Saw that force could be used to achieve political aims - as more Italians became attracted to the political extremes