Propaganda

Question 1

What was the supposed fascist destiny for the Italian people?

Answer 1

To take their place as a master race

Question 2

What did Mussolini attempt to relate fascist Italy to?

Answer 2

The Roman imperial past, with Mussolini seeing himself as a latter day emperor

Question 3

What were new public holidays created to commemorate?

Answer 3

Fascist landmarks, recent military triumphs or the glories of ancient Rome

Question 4

What would often occur during public holidays?

Answer 4

Ceremonies, parades, sporting contests and a long and theatrical speech from Mussolini, often set against the background of Roman architecture

Question 5

Give an example of 3 fascist party organisations that helped in promoting Mussolini’s positive image

Answer 5

• Youth organisations
• Women’s organisations
• Dopolavaro (leisure)

Question 6

What did the government press office begin to do in the 1930s?

Answer 6

Tightened control on journalists and newspapers in order to promote the cult of the duce

Question 7

When did propaganda and control of the media become more systematically organised?

Answer 7

In 1934, when Mussolini’s son in law took control of the press office and quadrupled its numbers of staff across the next two years

Question 8

What did Italian propaganda become focused on from 1935?

Answer 8

Justifying and glorifying Italy’s military adventures, with the image of the uniformed duce at the fore

Question 9

What did the regime attempt to present the Italian people as?

Answer 9

An elite race of supermen. They used unrealistic portrayals of Mussolini to do this

Question 10

What made fascist Italy different to previous Italian states?

Answer 10

Others had rarely concerned themselves with the management of public opinion, whereas fascism worked constantly to ensure mass support

Question 11

What happened to the portrayal of fascism in the 1930s?

Answer 11

Having lost its radical and revolutionary edge, it transformed into Mussolini

Question 12

How did Mussolini conduct his private life after coming to power?

Answer 12

In a frugal and isolated fashion, avoiding social occasions and meeting strangers. This only grew worse after the death of his brother in 1931

Question 13

What does Mack Smith say was the reason for Mussolini’s isolated lifestyle?

Answer 13

His contempt for his fellow man

Question 14

What was the cost of Mussolini focusing so diligently on propaganda?

Answer 14

Other areas of government activity received inadequate attention

Question 15

How extreme was the notion that the press were not allowed to publish negative stories?

Answer 15

Traffic accidents could not be reported

Question 16

Who controlled the flow of news items to ensure that nothing negative circulated?

Answer 16

A state controlled news agency

Question 17

How were Mussolini’s speeches presented in a misleading light?

Answer 17

It was thought that he spoke spontaneously and from the heart, but in reality they were carefully prepared and closely stage managed. He despised the crowds but made an effort to create the right image in their minds

Question 18

Why was Mussolini’s portrayal as a heroic military man misleading?

Answer 18

His time in WWI was brief and unheroic

Question 19

What was said about Mussolini’s work ethic?

Answer 19

He was presented as having tireless energy and working through the night for the Italian people

Question 20

How was the physical prowess of Mussolini presented?

Answer 20

Through photos of him on horseback, fencing, skiing or playing tennis

Question 21

What did censorship ensure?

Answer 21

That no one could question Mussolini’s prowess

Question 22

What was not allowed to be referenced concerning the duce?

Answer 22

• Illnesses
• Wearing glasses
• Birthdays as they might undermine the cult of ever youthful vigour

Question 23

What did the press office bombard newspapers and radios with in the 1930s?

Answer 23

Positive information about Mussolini’s political and leisure activities

Question 24

The admiring comments of who received coverage in Italian newspapers?

Answer 24

Foreign leaders

Question 25

What was Mussolini one of the first 20th century dictators to do?

Answer 25

Manipulate news and images to impress the masses

Question 26

Why was it a mistake for Mussolini to isolate himself from candid advice?

Answer 26

He began to believe the stream of messages put out by his propaganda machine. This influenced his decision to make a failed invasion of Greece

Question 27

What did Mussolini believe was at the heart of the political process?

Answer 27

Communication

Question 28

What was the one function his advisors served?

Answer 28

To bolster his own personal image. Discussion was not part of the fascist style and he did not want to hear conflating opinions

Question 29

Why was the death of Mussolini’s brother in 1931 so detrimental?

Answer 29

Because he was one of the only people who would be truly honest with Mussolini

Question 30

Why did Mussolini fail to lead an efficient government?

Answer 30

He sowed discord between ministers and encouraged them to talk badly about each other

Question 31

Why was Mussolini’s government lacking in real talent?

Answer 31

He most able ministers were replaced by people who were likely to be more subservient

Question 32

What were the three main things that got in the way of decent policy making?

Answer 32

• Mussolini’s concern for trivia
• Mussolini monopolising political positions
• Mussolini’s reliance on intuition

Question 33

What does De Grand say about Mussolini?

Answer 33

He says that he was a genuinely talented politician who benefitted from the fact that he had a lot of room for manoeuvre in leading a directionless movement

Question 34

What does Koon say about Mussolini?

Answer 34

That Mussolini’s only genuine talent was using his intuitive grasp of group psychology to decide what myth he needed to spin

Question 35

What does Taylor say about Mussolini?

Answer 35

That he made only ceremonial appearances that served to improve his reputation while others did the real work in the background

Question 36

What does Cassels say about Mussolini?

Answer 36

Claims that Mussolini was style over substance. He had the charisma and ability to manipulate a crowd into believing things about him that simply weren’t true

Question 37

What does Lamb say about Mussolini?

Answer 37

Says that Mussolini’s charm afforded him great popularity. However his major weakness in statesmenship was that increasing his power took priority over improving the wellbeing of the Italian people

Question 38

When did doubts about Mussolini begin to come to the fore?

Answer 38

When things started to go wrong after 1940

Question 39

What slogan was chalked on walls in the 1930s?

Answer 39

‘Mussolini is always right’

Question 40

Why were some genuinely convinced by the pro-Mussolini state propaganda?

Answer 40

He has provided years of foreign triumphs and internal stability

Question 41

Give the 4 main reasons in which time hasn’t been kind to Mussolini

Answer 41

• His energetic promotion of the cult of personality and his virtues now seem absurd
• His physical appearance and overblown oratory performances make him easy to mock
• He was a lonely and defeated figure treated with contempt in the end
• His dreams of imperial glory were exposed as hollow by crushing military defeats