1) The document discusses the rise of Italian Fascism under Mussolini, from the unification of Italy in the 19th century through Mussolini's consolidation of power in the 1920s and 1930s. 2) After World War 1, Italy experienced severe economic problems which led to social unrest. Mussolini formed the Fascist party and used militant tactics to grow its support and membership rapidly. 3) In 1922, Mussolini threatened to march on Rome, and King Victor Emmanuel III appointed Mussolini as Prime Minister to avoid violence. Mussolini then established a dictatorship and passed laws to eliminate opposition and consolidate his control over Italy.

1. The Rise of Italian Fascism:
from red shirts to black
J. Marshall, 2011

2. Part One: Italian Unification
Bringing the Pieces Together

3. Pre-Unification: 3 obstacles to unification:
1. Lombardy:
occupied by Austria-Hungary
2. The Papal States:
divided Italy in two (north/south)
3. Many independent states:
Piedmont/Sardinia
Tuscany
Parma
Sicily, etc
1. Lombardy:
occupied by Austria-Hungary
2. The Papal States:
divided Italy in two (north/south)
3. Many independent states:
Piedmont/Sardinia
Tuscany
Parma
Sicily, etc

4. Count Camillo Cavour:
Count Camillo Cavour:
(Piedmont) “Let’s expel A/H and
then slowly annex the South.”
Gets help from France’s Napoleon
II - together they beat A/H, 1859.
The NORTH is unified.
Giuseppi Mazzini:
Giuseppi Mazzini:
Patriot - use of secret societies
(Young Italy, 1831) to spread
nationalism and republicanism.

5. Mazzini’s essay: The Duties of Man
Liberty alone will not improve the lot of the working
class
As citizens of the state, one must labour to benefit all
Merely demanding more rights won’t achieve
anything
Government, operated by the common consent of the
people, will bring about equality and social
improvement
HOW CAN THIS ESSAY BE USED TO UNDERSTAND
MUSSOLINI AND FASCIST ITALY?

6. Giuseppe Garibaldi:
Revolutionary
In 1860, 1000 strong,
the Red Shirts land in
Sicily and then move
north towards ROME.

7. 1861 Unification after elections
1861 Unification after elections
Cavour is the first P.M.
Victor Emmanuel II is king
1870 Rome joins Italy and becomes
the capital in 1871

8. Part Two: Mussolini
the chameleon changes stripes
(This is the material for which you are responsible)

9. References:
pp 38-39 A Map History
pp 35-38 Global Forces
pp 67-79 DeMarco
pp 47-52 Falk workbook
Recall Orlando’s dissatisfaction with the Paris
Peace Treaty talks (little land) and look at the
poet D’Annunzio’s exploits in Fiume, 1919
Desire for strong government to “slap back.”

10. The First World War

11. Post
Post
war
war
Italy:
Italy: • Stricken with unemployment
• 500+% inflation, 1914-21
• Plagued by strikes and lockouts
• Unhappy over poor Treaty gains
• Nearing economic collapse
• Peasants taking land
• Courting social REVOLUTION

12. Socialist, ex-soldier, pacifist, internationalist,
journalist, war hawk, anarchist, statist, bully, but
mostly an opportunistic PRAGMATIST!
Many blame democracy (since 1912) for Italy’s post-
war problems (little experience).
Workers strike (Socialists warn of revolution)
Owners fear loss of property and power.
April, 1919, Fasci Combattimento (Black Shirts) start
their “brawls.”
At first, a socialist - not wanted - okay,
then…
Next, anti-socialist (plus, anti-liberal,
anti-democracy and anti-free speech).

13. Race for Power:
Race for Power: Fast
Fast and
and Violent
Violent
1920: 88 Fascist groups / 20,615 members
1921: 834 groups / 250,000+ members
* In the first 4 months: 207 deaths, 800 people wounded.
* Police/Army sympathized so no punishment.
* Liberals thought they could control Mussolini and were intimidated by
threats.
May 1921: Fascists win 35 of 535 seats in Chamber of Deputies,
but…
Oct 1922: March on Rome

14. Result:
King Victor
Emmanuel III asks
Mussolini to be P.M.
on 29 Oct, 1922.
=
dictatorial power for
1 year to get control
THEN:
the 26,000 fascists
made their march -
by train?
Okay, some walked.
Oct 1922
Oct 1922:
: “Either the government is
“Either the government is
handed over or we take it by attack on
handed over or we take it by attack on
Rome.”
Rome.”

15. Steps
to
total
control:
Fascist
Non-Fascist

16. Lateran Accords: a most unholy pact

17. Reichskonkordat, 1933

18. 3
3 Phases:
Phases:
1. 1922 - 1925 a state seeking an ideology
2. 1925 - 1938 - first state operation strong
modern nation-state capitalism
syndicalism
Encourage monopolies: more productivity =
stronger state. At this point 400 deputies are
still being approved by the people
BUT
In 1928 the election is gone:
election is gone: Il Duce has
total power and doesn’t have to hide it.
3. After 1938, Mussolini is Hitler’s puppet
Corporate
State

19. Corporate State = law and order?
“Mussolini is always right”
Climate of fear
In theory, management and
workers run business together
In reality, it was a means to enact
a centralized economy that
eliminated workers’ rights – unions
outlawed. Terror became
commonplace

20. Mare Nostrum:
the glories that
were once Rome

21. Libya, 1912
Eritrea, 1886
Italian Somaliland, 1889
Abyssinia 1936
= Italian East Africa, 1938

22. And did appeasement work?
1. Remember Sykes-Picot
2. The Spanish Civil War
allowed Italians to test
equipment & tactics, and
3. Learn to coordinate with
the Germans on the
battlefield.
4. Albania… “The claw of Italian invaders will enslave us”

23. King Zog falls
King Zog falls
1939
1939

24. All that was left to do was
solidify…
THE
PACT
OF
STEEL
1939

25. Cult of Personality!

26. Chronology Review:
don
don’t yell out the answers or I’ll sick the OVRA on you
’t yell out the answers or I’ll sick the OVRA on you
___1. The Pope and Mussolini sign the
Lateran Accord.
___2. The Acerbo Law will give a winner
with 25%, 2/3 of the seats.
___3. Mussolini rides to Rome ahead of the
marchers demanding power and WINS.
___4. Albania’s King Zog is exiled.
___5. Italy’s voters can’t vote any more.
A) 1922
B) 1923
C) 1928
D) 1929
E) 1939

27. Chronology Review:
don
don’t yell out the answers or I’ll sick the OVRA on you
’t yell out the answers or I’ll sick the OVRA on you
_D_1. The Pope and Mussolini sign the
Lateran Accord.
_B_2. The Acerbo Law will give a winner
with 25%, 2/3 of the seats.
_A_3. Mussolini rides to Rome ahead of the
marchers demanding power and WINS.
_E_4. Albania’s King Zog is exiled.
_C_5. Italy’s voters can’t vote any more.
A) 1922
B) 1923
C) 1928
D) 1929
E) 1939

28. end