Who Mattered In Mussolinis Appointment? Flashcards
Give some reasons why the king was crucial in mussolinis appointment?
- rejected unanimous government advice to reject martial law
- feared that the fascists would replace him with the pro fascist Duke of Aosta
- he overestimated the power of the fascists
- his mother and cousin were supportive of the fascist movement
- he doubted whether the army would be able to resist the march
- he was cowardly and lacked the confidence to put down the socialists
- he appointed Mussolini as PM upon hearing salandras advice
Give some reasons why Mussolini is seen as playing an active role in his rise to power?
- he successfully used the threat of a coup to gain power
- he rejected becoming a minister in order to hold out for more
- he and 9 other fascist leaders made the decision for themselves that it was the write time to take power substantially before the march
What factors suggest Mussolini had more of a passive role in his rise to power?
- he wavered over the idea of the march and had to be pressed into it by other fascists
- he remained in Milan while the march took place to allow for a quicker flight to Switzerland
- he realised his success rested just as much on the ineptitude of his opponents as on his own strength
Give some reasons why Facta was important during the march on Rome
- Led a weak government from feb-oct 1922
- failed to act against fascist threats and violence
- chaos ensued after his resignation in protest against the king’s decision to withdraw martial law
Give some reasons why salandra was important in mussolinis rise to power
- he was unable to persuade Mussolini to join his government
- he advised that the king appoint Mussolini as PM in order to prevent his rival giolitti from regaining the position
Give some reasons why giolitti was important mussolinis rise to power
- failed to come to Rome from Piedmont to be directly involved in negotiations over a new government
- he eventually decided to support mussolinis government
What role did the army play in mussolinis rise to power?
- Some generals sympathised with the fascists
- Six generals were involved in the march
- Marshal Diaz told Emmanuel that it would be well not to put the army’s loyalty to the test
What was the opinion of the elite on the march on Rome?
- Leaders of the general confederations of both industry and agriculture, aswell as the banking association telephones Rome asking for Mussolini to become PM
- the industrialists pirelli and Olivetti supported a Mussolini government
What was Pope Pius XI’s view on the march?
- he was friendly with Mussolini
- he had allowed fascist banners in church while bishop of Milan
- he urged a peaceful settlement
What was the press’s view on the march?
Liberal publications like corriere Della Sera justified fascist violence as the only alternative to anarchy
What did intellectuals think about the march on Rome?
Croce and others sympathised with fascism as a form of Italian renewal
How did liberal politicians contribute to Mussolini’s rise to power?
- They all tried to include the fascists in government
- Governments left it to prefects to deal with the fascists, as they were too busy arguing amongst themselves
How did the squads contribute to Mussolini’s rise to power?
- 30,000 squadristi gathered for the march
- Some squads managed to take over local councils
How did the left contribute to Mussolini’s rise to power?
- Socialists did not call a general strike in response to Mussolini’s appointment
- Some saw fascism’s success as a sign of the collapse of the liberal state, and was therefore a prelude to socialist revolution
