Rise of fascism in Italy
The end of WWII brought inflation, unemployment and talk of revolution to Italy.
Peasants confiscated land they had been promised. Strikes were countered by lockout which was countered by occupying factories.
Italy felt humiliated b/c of the peace treaty and the fact they didn't get Dalmatian islands and other bigger western powers treated them like doody.
Gabriele d' Annunzio, Italy's most famous poet, led an expedition and took over Fiume, a port city in Dalmatian island, with an army of the unemployed, he ruled for a year. This shows how the people needed a head with nationalistic ideas.
All this helped create fascism. The term comes from an ancient roman symbol of authority, being a bundle of sticks.
Mussolini edited a socialist newspaper, but got fired for wanting Italy's going into the war. He created another paper, and then became Italy noisiest nationalist.
Fascism was a movement and party.
Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini in Munich, Germa...
Picture of Benito Mussolini and Fascist Blackshirt...
English: Benito Mussolini and Fascist blackshirts ...It used propaganda, slogans, and activism which brought unity.
In 1921, elections were held under universal male suffrage, in it the socialists lost because of the split in the party, which formed a communist party. Parties with well organized masses did well. The fascists got 35 seats and decided to show they belong
Instead of being "parliamentary" they used their campaign to show what they do. In it they planted bombs, beat up opponents, disrupted meetings, all while wearing black shits. They showed they like violence and intimidation and hate Marxists.
In 1922, left wing unions called a general strike, black shirts grew threatening, and started taking over town council by force.
While other parties tried to get a parliamentary majority, the fascists staged a march on Rome in October.
Squads of party militants moved to the capital while Mussolini stayed in Milan.
Parliamentary leaders called...