German Surrender + Mussolini's death

Question 1

Why was the RSI appearing weak by 1944?

Answer 1

By 1944 it was clear that the Germans were loosing the war.

Question 2

Who was beginning to capture major areas in northern Italy by April 1945?

Answer 2

The allies

Question 3

What happened on the 27th April when Mussolini was trying to escape Switzerland?

Answer 3

Partisans stopped the convey+ was arrested

Question 4

When was Mussolini and his mistress Claretta Petacci shot?

Answer 4

28th April 1945 at the Village of Dongo- Lake Garda

Question 5

What happened after M was shot?

Answer 5

The bodies were displayed in Milan- huge crowds attacked M body + hanged upside down in square of Milan
-It was an undignified end for Il Duce

Question 6

What happened on 2nd May 1944?

Answer 6

The war in Italy came to an end

Question 7

Why was Italy in a terrible state at the end of the war?

Answer 7

The economy+ infrastructure were ruined+ many Italians lacked clean food/water

Question 8

Why was Italy in a terrible state at the end of the war?

Answer 8

The economy+ infrastructure were ruined+ many Italians lacked clean food/water
-Unemployment
-Cost of living was 23 times higher than in 1938
- Half a million Italians lost their lives in the war.
-30,000 partisan revenge killings were estimated to have taken place following Germany’s surrender

Question 9

What had widened the divide between North+ South?

Answer 9

The North had experienced most of the fighting

Question 10

When was Italy’s post war government established+ what did it consist of?

Answer 10

June 1945- socialists, communists, Christian Democrats
later dominated by Christian Democrats (successors of the Catholic Party)

Question 11

When did Italy become a republic?

Answer 11

June 1946 by 12.7 votes to 10.7 votes- despite the king trying to regain his authority (he tried to put his son in power for 34 days)

Question 12

What exemplified how divided the North +south were?

Answer 12

Virtually every area in the south voted to keep the king, every area in north voted to become a republic

Question 13

What was the new electoral system based on?

Answer 13

Proportional representation

Question 14

How many seats were the Christian Democrats securing in the Constituent Assembly?

Answer 14

207 out of 556 seats

Question 15

How many seats were the socialists securing in the Constituent Assembly?

Answer 15

21%

Question 16

How many seats were the communists securing in the Constituent Assembly?

Answer 16

19%

Question 17

How many seats were the Liberals securing in the Constituent Assembly?

Answer 17

7%

Question 18

The senate was to be…

Answer 18

Elected, the president became symbolic +PM would be elected by Parliament

Question 19

What was the new constitution like?

Answer 19

It was anti-fascist in construction + definition- a weak government that would not be able to repeat the fascist years.

Question 20

Consequently, where had Italy lost it’s lands?

Answer 20

Africa
-Had to hand Fiume back to Yugoslavia+ pay compensation to Yugoslavia, Abyssinia, Greece and Albania

Question 21

What did the new constitution establish?

Answer 21

A liberal democracy, with civil and political freedom guaranteed. The monarchy was replaced by a president as Head of State

Question 22

What were still included in the constitution?

Answer 22

Mussolini’s Lateran Pacts