Mussolini's use of Propaganda

Question 1

1930’s

Answer 1

Mussolini’s Press Office- covered radio, film and eventually all aspect of culture

Question 2

1937

Answer 2

The Press Office was renamed Ministry of Popular Culture

Question 3

What did Tannenbaun call Mussolini’s propaganda machinery?

Answer 3

‘Amateurish’

Question 4

What was the OND

Answer 4

• It provided social and sporting opportunities including cycling groups, libraries and football teams.
• By 1939, it had over 4 million members
• 80% of all state and private sector salaries workers were members of the OND

Question 5

Limitations of the creation of the OND

Answer 5

• It was ideological free
• The four million members were never indoctrinated
• None of the activities promoted Fascism or its ideology

Evidence that the PNF were superficial in their success of creating a nation of Fascists!

Question 6

1937 Exhibition

Answer 6

• to celebrate the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Augustus ( the first Emperor)
• over 1 million people attended the Exhibition of 30000 items.
• It was designed to portray Mussolini as the heir to the Roman Empire.
• Portrayed as the new ‘Augustus’.

Question 7

The Cult of II Duce

Answer 7

• Mussolini was portrayed through posters, cinema news reels and radio broadcasts
• The slogan ‘Mussolini is always right’
• He was also portrayed as a family man
• He was a leader people could believe in

However, he was unable to transform the people into a militaristic culture despite the Cult of II Duce.

Question 8

Radio

Answer 8

• it was organised by the state from 1924 onwards and included Jazz, classical and drama.
• The number of people who owned the radio was 1 million by 1938.
• Mussolini’s speeches were broadcasted live.
• They were two hours of official broadcasts per day.

Question 9

Mass Media

Answer 9

• By 1926, the last opposition papers had been suppressed.
• Mussolini’s Press Office sent out detailed instructions of the ‘correct’ version of events

However, The Fascist Newspaper never had more than 10% of the overall circulation.

Question 10

Anti- Semitic Decrees- 1938 Anti - Jewish legislation

Answer 10

• There was only 45,000 Italian Jews in the country, less than one percent of the population.
• The law forbade Italian Jews from marrying ‘pure’ Italians, holding public office jobs, running any business with over 100 employees.
• Jewish businesses were closed down.
• The students and Teachers were excluded.
• Mirrored the Totalitarian state of Germany.

Question 11

‘Reform of customs’

Answer 11

• It was an ideological campaign that forced all civil servants to wear uniforms.
• Also, the army and militia to look more important.
  Which Mussolini had witnessed in Germany

Question 12

Was the Anti- Semitic decree popular?

Answer 12

• It was ridiculed by the Italian people as ‘pointless’, policies that was simply copied off the Germans
• It was viewed as a worrying sign of Italy’s growing weakness and subordination to German policy.
• It lost support from the conservative elites of the Church, business and judiciary which Mussolini relied on for power.
• The PNF had Jewish members and Mussolini’s mistress was Jewish; Margherita Sarfatti