Fascist Italy 700k dead, cost 148B lire Post WWI 700k dead, cost 148B lire gained Trieste but NOT Fiume and Dalmatia unemployment, dissatisfied vets Benito Mussonlini Started as an elementary sch. Teacher took adv of econ turmoil, political disorder, insecurity, and fear 1919, started new political movement/group called Fascio di Combattimento (League of Combat) Not being given those two: cheated of just rewards Mussolini actually started out as an elementary school teacher, then editor of socialist newspaper, expelled from socialist party when he advocated joining WWI

Fascist Italy 1919 Parliament had too many parties, none with majority 1919-1920 industrial/agricultural strikes lead to class warfare and constant violence Muss shifted from left to right: supported by m-class industrialists/landowners said Italy cheated by Treaty of Versailles anti-communism, anti-strike activity, nationalist rhetoric brute force would get him what he wants M class industrialists and landowners were against the strikes Get him what he wants but what he couldn’t get in regular elections

Fascist Italy 1920-1921 Muss allied with liberals and PM Giolitti Squadristi: armed bands of Fascists attacked socialist organizations broke up strikes unrestrained violence largely WWI vets, students 1921, there’s 200k of them, regular part of life motto: me ne frego (I do not give a damn) Muss allied with liberals and PM Giolitti PM believes the Muss’ force would crush socialism this gives Muss more freedom/“respectability” Fascism gets 35 parl seats by 1921 Squadristi were known as “black shirts”... One favoured way of making people conform was to tie a ‘troublemaker’ to a tree, force a pint or two of castor oil down the victim’s throat and force him to eat a live toad/frog etc. This punishment was enough to ensure people kept their thoughts to themselves. Muss believed terrorist tactics would eventually bring him pols victory

Fascist Italy Deliberately created disorder but advertised themselves as party of order Mussolini plans a march on Rome to seize power “either we are allowed to govern or we will seize power by marching on Rome to take the throat of the miserable political class that governs us” Oct 1922, Italian king makes Muss PM--Il Duce black shirts still marched to make people think power taken via armed insurrection…why? fascists: most support from middle/upper-class, white collar, students, landowners, merchants, all who feared socialism/communism March on rome supposed to be a bluff so that liberals just give fascists power, it WORKED!!!! Iron/strong leader who’s always right

Mussolini’s Fascism Muss had to move slowly to keep power still a minority in Parliament 1923, Acerbo Law any party that wins 25%+ votes in next election automatically gets 2/3 Parl seats 1924, Fascism victorious w/ 65% of votes 374 of 535 Parl seats elections via Fascist fraud, force, intimidation

Mussolini’s Fascism censorship PM is head of govt, can issue decrees 1926, dictatorship in full force: censorship PM is head of govt, can issue decrees police law allowed police to arrest and hold people withOUT due process non-Fascist parties outlawed controlled radio/cinema/print for propaganda secret police OVRA not as repressive, efficient, or savage as Nazi secret police Censorship against fascists, monarchy , and even against catholic church

Mussolini’s Fascism Wanted to mold citizens into single-minded community: fascist education for youth groups Young Fascists insisted on militarization Family is pillar of state women foundation of family should be keeping the house and raising babies Keeping women out of workforce kept jobs open for men, hopefully reduced unemployment hopefully increased Mussolini’s popularity

italian on left, “western” on right…propaganda showing how much better off italian women are/should be

Mussolini’s Fascism 1930s, laws encourage large families (target was 5 kids) additional pay, easier to get loans, tax cuts extra fertile mothers got gold medals Wanted Italian population to reach 60 M by 1950 Power/totalitarian limitations: never really destroyed old power structure did not absorb armed forces and monarchy Lateran Accords, 1929, recognized sovgty of Vatican City, made Catholicism state religion WANTED LARGE FAMILIES BECAUSE WANTED ITALIAN POPULATION TO REACH 60 M BY 1950 (more ppl=more powerful italy...it was 37 mill in 1920 In 1933, Mussolini met 93 mothers at the Palazzo Venezia who had produced over 1300 children - an average of 13 each!…mussolini made Dec 24 Mother and Child holiday