Propaganda and the cult of personality

Question 1

What had made M first come to national attention?

Answer 1

His position as editor of a propagandist newspaper, Il Popolo d’Italia

Question 2

What was he determined to use propaganda to do?

Answer 2

Build up support for the regime and deter opposition

Question 3

What was he anxious to control?

Answer 3

The news

Question 4

How did he do this?

Answer 4

In 1926 opposition newspapers were suppressed, and journalists and editors were made aware that they could be arrested if they published anything derogatory towards the regime. M’s own press office issued official versions of events which newspapers were expected to publish without question

Question 5

What other forms of media became tools for fascist propaganda?

Answer 5

Radio and cinema

Question 6

How many radio sets were there in Italy by the mid 1920s?

Answer 6

Around 40,000

Question 7

What happened to the radio network in 1924?

Answer 7

It was run by the state

Question 8

What were news bulletins used to do?

Answer 8

Continually praise M and broadcast his speeches in full

Question 9

How did the state try to increase the amount of radios in use?

Answer 9

Radios were given to schools and by the 1930s the party was trying to ensure that even those living in rural areas could at least listen to communal radios in their villages

Question 10

What was the regime slow to make?

Answer 10

Propagandist feature films

Question 11

What had to be done as a result?

Answer 11

US Hollywood films dominated Italian screens with each of them being preceded by a short newsreel which gave the fascist version of current events

Question 12

What did the media play a crucial role in creating?

Answer 12

The cult of the duce

Question 13

What was the cult intended to do?

Answer 13

Build popular support for M and overawe political opponents by stressing his superhuman talents

Question 14

How was M portrayed?

Answer 14

As not just another politician but as Italy’s saviour, a man chosen by destiny to save the country from the socialist menace and corrupt democratic politicians and to restore Italian greatness. He was portrayed as a new Caesar: a man of genius, action and culture, a statesman of world renown dedicated only to the revival of Italy

Question 15

What was the regime doing by 1926?

Answer 15

Using all methods of propaganda at its disposal to convey its message

Question 16

What did government controlled newspapers stress?

Answer 16

M’s benevolence

Question 17

What did they take particular pride in reporting?

Answer 17

Quoting the opinions of foreign admirers, particularly if they were leading statesmen

Question 18

What was the British foreign secretary, Austen Chamberlain, widely reported as saying?

Answer 18

That M was ‘a wonderful man working for the greatness of his country’

Question 19

What was Churchill reported as saying in 1927?

Answer 19

That M’s ‘sole thought was the lasting well-being of the Italian people as he sees it’

Question 20

What stories were used to highlight his apparent dedication to Italy?

Answer 20

The idea that he toiled for up to 20 hours a day on government business

Question 21

What was done to prove this?

Answer 21

The light was left on in his study for most of the night to back up this claim and disguise the fact that he usually retired to bed quite early

Question 22

What phrase became popular in the press as proof of M’s infallability?

Answer 22

‘M is always right’

Question 23

What kind of things would M say to encourage this idea?

Answer 23

‘Often I would like to be wrong, but so far it has never happened and events have always turned out just as I foresaw’

Question 24

What did M do to maintain this impression?

Answer 24

He was quick to claim credit for any successes and still quicker to blame others for any mistakes

Question 25

What was M keen to be portrayed as?

Answer 25

A vigourous athletic and courageous man that all Italian men could aspire towards

Question 26

How was this backed up?

Answer 26

Magazines and newspapers printed pictures of his horse riding, enjoying his winter sports, driving cars at high speeds and enjoying winter sports

Question 27

What was done to maintain his image of youthfulness?

Answer 27

Any references to his age or the fact that he needed to wear glasses were suppressed

Question 28

What did M insist he also be seen as?

Answer 28

A man of culture

Question 29

What was done to support this?

Answer 29

It was made known that he had read and digested all 35 volumes of the Italian encyclopaedia and had read nearly all the classics of European literature, including the complete works of Shakespeare. Fascist propagandists also claimed that he was an accomplished musician

Question 30

What did the expectation that everyone would be taken in by these exaggerated claims reveal about M

Answer 30

His vanity and low opinion of the public

Question 31

What derogatory thing did he say about the public?

Answer 31

That they are ‘stupid, dirty, do not work hard enough and are content with their little cinema shows

Question 32

What did he believe about the political attitude of the masses?

Answer 32

He thought that they were not really interested in discussion or debate but preferred to be told what to do

Question 33

Why did he think that the masses would approve of his reign?

Answer 33

They would enjoy the result that they were ruled over by a near superman and would feel proud that Italy was apparently so internationally admired

Question 34

What did he think would keep their interest and secure their allegiance?

Answer 34

Spectacles, parades and constant propaganda

Question 35

What M quote summarises this attitude?

Answer 35

‘One must always know how to strike the imagination of the public: that is the real secret of how to govern’

Question 36

What is uncertain?

Answer 36

How many people were actually impressed by the cult of the duce

Question 37

What was the cult of the duce?

Answer 37

The promotion of M as the supreme leader, the man who had saved Italy from socialism, and who was leading the country back to greatness; a man whose creation, fascism, was admired around the world

Question 38

Who did it not matter that many would have been sceptical of the cult?

Answer 38

Because it did enough to convince large numbers of Italians that there was no conceivable alternative to the Fascist regime

Question 39

How did the cult deter potential opposition?

Answer 39

Because of the sheer scale of propaganda stressing M’s power and genius

Question 40

What do these last two flaschcards show about the cult?

Answer 40

That it achieved its aims