Mussolini (Rise Of Fascism) Notes

Tara Subba The Rise of Fascism (HL) The Rise of Fascism 191501922 Key Dates Date Event 1915 Italy entered the war on the side of the Entente powers Entente powers promised to award Italy with lands in the Trentino, Trieste and Austrian lands in the southern Tyrol, Istria and Dalmatia. The Italian Kingdom was to dominate the Adriatic Sea and further colonies were to be made in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. 1919 March June September First meeting of Fascist movement - Mussolini founded Fasci di combattimento Treaty of Versailles failed to and any German colonies to Italy Seizure of Fiume (Undermined liberal government) Nationalist Gabrielle D'Annunzio marched with 2000 armed men and occupied Fiume in defiance of the Italian government. Showed decisive military action - hero to the public eye. November Elections -- Socialists become the largest single party and Liberals could no longer rule alone. Fascist failed to win a seat in parliament. 1920 September Strikes -- Occupation of the factories by 400,000 engineering workers November Fascist squad violence began 1921 May Fascist gained 35 seats in general election October National Fascist Party organization created 1922 Increasing Fascist violence July Abortive Socialist General strike October th Fascists took control of key buildings in northern cities (March on Rome planned) th 28 Resignation of last Liberal government 29th Mussolini invited by King Victor Emmanuel III to become Prime Minister 30th Mussolini arrived in Rome. Fascist organized a victory party. 27 2 Background summary * The unification of Italy was completed in 1870 - the new state suffered from political and economic weakness. * WW1 was a strain on her economy and there was bitter disappointment at her treatment at the Versailles settlement. * Proportional representation: Between 1919--22 there were 5 different governments, incapable of taking decisive action that Italy needed. Why was Mussolini able to come to power? | Disillusionment and frustration | In 1919 the general atmosphere of disillusionment and frustration in Italy was caused by various factors: 'Mutilated Victory' (disappointment at It Italy's gains form the Versailles settlement) Demobilized soldiers struggling to fit into civilian society saw the peace settlements as a humiliating defeat. Nationalists who saw the liberals as weak and incompetent were convinced that the government would fail to defend Italian interest at the peace conference. They demanded that Italy should not only receive territories agreed with the Entente in 1915 (Southern Tyrol, Trentino, Istria and art of Dalmatia) but also be granted the city of Fiume. SS? SS? SS? SS? Treaty of St. Germain ceded Austrian land in the South Tyrol and Trentino a? Italy USA and Britain refused to hand over Fiume - city vital to the economy of the new Yugoslav state. o 1919 September: Seizure of Fiume by Nationalist Gabrielle D'Annunzio Italy was denied Dalmatia - little Italian population. German colonies in Africa would not be shared with Italy. Outraged Nationalists blamed Liberal weakness for this humiliating defeat. The Italians felt cheated for the valiant efforts during the war where they faced 700,000 casualties. Economic effect of the war The financial cost of war placed a heavy burden on Italian treasury. Huge sums had been borrowed from the USA and Britain SS? National debt increased from 16 billion liras in 1914 to 85 billion lira in 1919. Borrowings proved inadequate to pay for war. o The government resorted to printing more money - inflation spiraled and prices quadrupled during war years. * The Lira declined in value (from 5: $ in 1914 a? 28: $ in 1921) SS? There was massive unemployment as heavy industry cut back its wartime production levels. o Industries whose profits were falling did not take on any new workers. o Soldiers plunged into the deteriorating economic situation. o Unemployment rose to over 2million in 1919. 

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