Chapter 15 - Fascism In Italy

Question 1

Give a brief account of the background of Mussolini

Answer 1

1. Born son of socialist blacksmith in 1883
2. Became editor of socialist newspaper Avanti in 1912
3. Turned back on socialism in 1914 (disagreed with their objections to Italy joining war)
4. Enlisted in army when Italy entered war in 1915 - largely unimpressive record, but later boasted of picking up enemy grenades in trenches + throwing back

Question 2

Give 3 problems faced by Italy after WW1

Answer 2

1. Much bitterness over failure of T.o.V. to match what was promised in T.o.London. - had lost over half a mil soldiers in war, survivors felt cheated + blamed government for failing to negotiate better deal
2. Italian economy in difficulties - prices rose by over 250% during war, many soldiers returned to face unemployment
3. Fear of rise of communism swept Italy when wave of strikes broke out in 1920 - farm labourers in Po valley refused to save harvest (crops left rotting in fields), in Milan over half a mil workers took over factories + raised red flag on rooftops

Question 3

When did Mussolini form his Party?
What were they called?
What were their basic beliefs?
How did support for them increase?

Answer 3

1. Formed Fascist Party in Milan in 1919 - nicknamed Blackshirts bc of uniform + Squadristi
2. Strongly anti-communist, Mussolini promised to restore national pride to Italy
3. Support grew slowly at first, but as economy worsened + strikes increased, more began turning to Fascists, ranks swelled
4. Set about ‘restoring law + order’ by breaking up strikes + attending communist meetings
5. Industrialists, landowners + CC, fearing rise of communism in Italy, increasingly began supporting Mussolini

Question 4

What action did Mussolini take in October 1922?

What did this result in?

Answer 4

1. Issued threat to Italian government warning them to solve Italy’s problems or stand aside + let Fascists do so
2. Government failed to respond, so 30,000 Fascists marched on Rome
3. King Victor Emmanuel III panicked, refused request from PM Luigi Facta to use army against them
4. Following talks at royal palace between Mussolini + king, Facta forced to resign + Mussolini appointed new PM

Question 5

Once in power, how did Mussolini go about becoming a dictator?

Answer 5

1. Took immediate steps to increase power of Fascists - OVRA (secret police force) established to seek out + silence anyone that opposed Fascists
   - prison camp opened for political opponents on Lipari Islands, north of Sicily
2. In 1923, Mussolini introduced new electoral law, the Acerbo, which allowed party that received largest of number of votes in election to gain two-thirds of parliament seats
   - claimed would bring end to political instability by guaranteeing one-party government
3. In following election (1924), Fascists made sure they won large majority through campaign of terror + intimidation
   - kidnapped Giacoma Matteotti (leading socialist politician) in broad daylight + murdered him when he complained election was unfair
4. In 1925, Mussolini removed king’s right to appoint/dismiss government ministers
5. All opposition parties banned, laws could be passed without consent of parliament
6. Mussolini was now dictator - Il Duce

Question 6

Describe how Mussolini went about attempting to bring an end to Italy’s economic difficulties
What results did this have?

Answer 6

1. System called Corporate State established, where different corporations (type of government department) set up to run each sector of economy
2. Trade unions banned, strikes became illegal
3. Unemployment tackled through public works
   - Autostrada (motorways) built throughout Italy
   - Pontine Marshes on pit skirts of Rome drained + turned into agricultural land
   - hydro-electrical stations built, train system electrified
4. At first economy improved + unemployment fell, but following WSC in 1929 Italy (like many other countries) suffered depression, by mid-1930s unemployment was problem again
5. Tried to distract from economic failures by attempting to build Italian empire abroad

Question 7

How did Mussolini make his achievements seem great?

Answer 7

Through propaganda - in terms of fascism the spread of information that’s often false or exaggerated in order to influence public opinion

• presented as great leader in newsreels, articles, pictures, school textbooks + even kid’s story books

Question 8

How were young children indoctrinated into fascist beliefs?

Answer 8

1. At school, taught ‘Mussolini is always right’

2. Many joined fascist youth movements in spare time, such as Balilla from 8-14 + Avanguardisti up to 18

Question 9

What was the Lateran Treaty?

Answer 9

1. An agreement drawn up by Mussolini to end the disputes between the pope and the State (1929)
   - pope lost control of large area of land in central Italy in unification of Italy in 1870
2. By this agreement:
   - Mussolini recognised Vatican City to be independent State
   - compensation paid to Church for loss of land in 1870
   - Catholicism became official religion of Italian state
   - in return, pope agreed to recognise Italian State

Question 10

Describe the foreign policy/ies of Mussolini

Answer 10

1. Promised to restore national pride, once stated that his objective was to make Italy ‘great, respected + feared’
2. Intended to achieve this by:
   - increasing influence over the Mediterranean - wished to make it an ‘Italian lake’
   - also wanted to rebuild a Roman Empire by taking over other lands
3. Stated he’d fulfil these aims by peaceful means if able, or war if necessary

Question 11

How did closer relations grow between Hitler + Mussolini?

Answer 11

1. Strained at first, Mussolini distrustful of Hitler (feared he might try include 200,000 German-speaking people in northern Italy in new German empire)
2. Changed in 1935 when Mussolini’s foreign policy became more aggressive - set about building new empire by invading Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
   - took place when economy in trouble + unemployment on rise, Mussolini trying to divert attention of public from economic failures
3. Invasion condemned by Britain + France, leading to poor relations - League of Nations passed number of economic sanctions (ban on trade of certain goods) against Italy
4. Having fallen out with Western European democracies, M turned to H + closer relations grew between 2 fascist regimes

Question 12

What agreements did Germany + Italy sign in the years their relations were getting closer?

Answer 12

1. The Rome-Berlin Axis in November 1936 - a friendly agreement
2. An Anti-Communist Pact in September 1937 (also w/ Japan)
3. The Pact of Steel in May 1939 - promised to help each other in any future war (Mussolini unaware Hitler intended to invade Poland in near future)

Question 13

What role did Italy play in WW2?

Answer 13

1. Mussolini shocked when WW2 broke out in Sept 1939 following Hitler’s invasion of Poland
2. Pact of Steel committed Italy to join Germany in war, but Mussolini knew forces weren’t prepared for war - informed Hitler, announced would be keeping Italy out of war
3. Changed mind in May 1940 having seen Hitler conquer most of Europe - entered war on Nazi side believing fighting was almost at end + he could gain advantage from peace treaty to follow - WRONG
4. War went badly from start for Italians - failed to gain control in North Africa + Greece
5. Proved more of hindrance than help to Germans - Hitler had to delay plans for invasion of Soviet Union to send troops to help struggling Italian force in Greece
6. This disrupted his plans, may have cost him the war

Question 14

How did fascism end in Italy?

Answer 14

1. As war dragged on, weakness of Italians as fighting force became clear
2. Mussolini’s popularity dropped as people held him accountable for unfolding disaster
3. Following successful American invasion of southern Italy in 1943, Mussolini dismissed by king + placed under house arrest
4. Escaped northwards + with help of Nazis, established state called Salo Republic in North of Italy
5. As war nearing end in April 1945, attempted to escape across Italian border into neutral Switzerland
6. Recognised by Italian partisans (resistance fighters), arrested, given informal trial + shot dead
7. Fascists had promised much when took power in 1922, but by 1945 had left Italy in ruins
8. Italy became democracy once again

Question 15

What was the Battle for Grain?

Answer 15

When Mussolini encouraged Italian farmers to grow grain so country wouldn’t need to import it from other countries