To what extent was the collapse of the Liberal State the result of the mutilated victory 1918-22

Question 1

Intro

Answer 1

• The mutilated victory was the phrase cultivated by the nationalists to describe the alleged mistreatment of Italy by the Allies since Italy was not granted all their territorial demands.
• Mutilated victory, Political Opposition and Weakness of Liberal State

Question 2

Mutilated Victory

Answer 2

• Fiume was not granted in the peace treaties
• Italy did not receive any German colonies in Africa
• The Mutilated Victory led to the occupation of Fiume in sept 1919, led by D’Annunzio and was took back on ‘Bloody Christmas’ 1920 using the army and navy.
• However, Italy received the most land of any nation in WW1, 14,500 square kilometres of land
• Even some of the land which hadn’t been promised in the Treaty of London

Question 3

Political

Answer 3

-Squadristi was destroying the socialist threat which the Liberals failed to do so.
-This meant that disillusioned elites that made up so much of Giolitti’s party began to support Mussolini.
-The PNF was also growing quickly with 1000 members in 1919 to 200,000 by 1921.
-Socialists won 32% of the vote and Catholics won 20% of the vote in 1919 election.
-1922 July General Strike, fascists, took control of trains and fought battles with socialist in city’s and burned down Avanti!
+The Fascist gained support if the socialist did, as they were there enemy
+Had a different element to politics being violent

Question 4

The Weakness of the Liberal State

Answer 4

-1919 November Elections, Giolittian Liberals won only 91 seats
-Biennio Rosso (400,000 workers took over their factories in 1920) forced the Liberal State to make various concessions such as a minimum wage, eight-hour working day and official recognition of factory grievance committees.
+The Liberals weakness in dealing with strikes led to the collapse as they were shown up by the fascists
+Gave too much power to the monarchy as the march on Roman allowed the King to give PNF power

Question 5

Line of Argument

Answer 5

• The mutilated victory was an important factor as it kick-starts the support for the fascists
• Opposition, was crucial as it directly led to the collapse but need weakness to be abused
• Liberal State was the underlying factor