The Rise Of Mussolini And The Creation Of A Fascist Dictatorship 1919-26 👺🧔🏼‍♀️🧠👨🏿‍🦰🦗🦟🦗🦟🦗🐌

Question 1

Who felt betrayed after the war

Answer 1

Ex soldiers as they didn’t achieve the national greatness they had all been promised and fighting for.

Question 2

What were peasant conscripts pushing for after the war and what did they do

Answer 2

Pushed for Land reform that they had been promised. Many forcibly occupied hundreds of thousands of hectares of land

Question 3

What tension was rising in the north after the war

Answer 3

The divide between the fighting soldiers and the exempt workers, who were considered cowards

Question 4

What did Orlando want from the Paris peace conference in terms of land (jan 1919)

Answer 4

He pushed to gain all land from treaty of London and Fiume, as he claimed it had a large community of Italians. However this claim of Fiume was very weak as it was not even a part of the treaty if London.

Question 5

Did the big 3 give Italy its land?

Answer 5

No, they all were condescending towards Italy and did not see it as great power and declined their request to gain the lands of the treaty of London and Fiume.

Question 6

What did Orlando fear if he couldn’t acquire the irredente lands?

Answer 6

He feared there would be revolution and that he faced assassination people would not see the war effort as worth it in anyway.

Question 7

How did the big 3 respond to Orlando’s worries if possible anarchy and assasination

Answer 7

They ignored them all and Orlando walked out the conference in April. Because of this, Italy had no say in who gets the German colonies.

Question 8

What month did Orlando try again to push to gain land and what were the consequences?

Answer 8

He tried pushing to gain land in may but was ignored again and was forced to resign from PM in june.

Question 9

What was some of the land that Italy managed to gain?

Answer 9

Trent, Trieste, Istria, north Dalmatia, but did not gain Fiume or any German colonies, which undermined the liberal government.

Question 10

What did the poet Gabriel D Annunzio call the outcome of the war?

Answer 10

A mutilated victory that disgraced 600 000 soldiers who lost their lives in war.

Question 11

Who was Orlando’s replacement and did he help?

Answer 11

Nitti and no. He played down Italy’s claims for land and allowed yopugoslavia to take Dalmatia and Fiume be declared a neutral city under the protection of the League of Nations. He reduced military spending and offered a deserter amnesty, all which triggered Italy’s nationalists.

Question 12

What would the fascists focus on to get support?

Answer 12

They would focus on the mutilated victory to appeal to Italian people.

Question 13

Who occupied the Fiume and who was it led by and why

Answer 13

12 sept 1919, Gabriel d’Annunzio, 2000 ex soldiers, futurists and students seized the port of Fiume because they thought only war could rejuvenate Italy and help regain its glorious past. D annunzio called this occupation a redemption for Italy’s dead soldiers.

Question 14

How long did it take for the lib govt to respond to the invasion of the Fiume.

Answer 14

15 month, until the govt removed d anunzio and his crew using a small navy on Christmas Day 1920

Question 15

What dip Mussolini learn from Fiume occupation?

Answer 15

Success could be achieved through violent and decisive action and that Italy could just take what was rightfully theirs.

Question 16

What were some post economic and social problems after the war?

Answer 16

Millions demobilised - by nov 1919, 2 mil unemployed.
Inflation at its highest - lira collapsed
Wages and pensions declined rapidly of middle class donnys
Savings wiped
Major companies such as fiat, Ansaldo and Ilva that benefited from the war were struggling to stay afloat.
When the armament factories, Ansaldo and Ilva shut down in 1921 there was a banking crisis that caused a major bank to close

Question 17

On top of the socio and economic problems post war, what major event happened that lasted for 1-2 years?

Answer 17

Biennio Rosso - a period of labour and militancy strikes that took place between 1919 and 1920 in which left wing organisations were at their peak.
Socialist unions grew - 1918: 250 000, 1920: mil
Sept 1920 - largest strike, 400 000+ workers seized factories
Peasants occupied land - land owners feared rural revolution

Question 18

What were some changes made for the 1919 elections?

Answer 18

All Italians who fought or any other man over 21 could vote.
PR was also introduced

Question 19

When was the ppi formed and what was its significance?

Answer 19

1919, led by Luigi Sturzo and was a major supporter for land reform, making it very popular and a threat to the liberal regime, making coalitions much more harder

Question 20

What were the results of the 1919 elections?

Answer 20

PSI won most - 152 seats
PPI won second most - 101 seats
Liberals - 91
No full majority but no one would work together, so liberals still maintained power, forming coalitions until 1922.
Demonstrated that democracy could not solve Italy’s problems
Italians began to consider more radical systems.

Question 21

When did nitti resign and who replaced him

Answer 21

June 1920 replaced by giolitti

Question 22

When and where did Mussolini form the Fasci Di Combattimento?

Answer 22

23 March 1919in Milan

Question 23

What is trincerocrazia

Answer 23

Where class is abolished and all that mattered was that People were fighting for Italy and each other.

Question 24

What were some of the fasci do combattimentos programme

?

Answer 24

Confiscation of church property
End to monarchy
Suffrage extend to women and younger people
8 hr working 
Abolishment of senate 
Nationalisation of armament industry

Question 25

What was the problem with this programme? (Fasci di combattimento)

Answer 25

Did not distinguish the Fasci from other left wing parties, especially psi

Question 26

How did giolitti placate the strikes

Answer 26

He pressured Italy’s banks to withdraw support for companies that would not negotiate with strikers. He encouraged businesses to to allow workers to have shares in their companies.

Question 27

How successful was giolitti in placating the strikes

Answer 27

In the short term he was: 25th sept 1920 - strikes ended However nationalists, catholics, landowners and industrialists thought giolitti had given into the workers as compared to the fascists who would use violence to crush the socialists

Question 28

Did returning soldiers see socialists as the enemy or as friends

Answer 28

As the enemy

Question 29

What are squadristi

Answer 29

Small military squads of fascists - not organised by Mussolini, that answered to the socialist threat through extreme violence E.g. on 15 April 1919, a sauadristi of 250 attacked a socialists demonstration in Milan and burnt down avanti buildings.

Question 30

How many votes did the fascists get in 1919?

Answer 30

5000, not even enough for a seat in parliament.

Question 31

Why were squadristi dons not punished

Answer 31

Police, army, govt etc feared socialist revolution like Russia 1917 so let them do their thing. They also sometimes actively joined in. This move to the right was also demonstrated in the May 1921 elections, whereby the fascists made use of squads to attack socialist campaign meetings and intimidate voters. The police lent them vehicles and army gave weapons and judiciary were very lenient.

Question 32

What were the leaders of squadristi called

Answer 32

Ras

Question 33

Who supplied the black shirts with weapons?

Answer 33

The local police and army barracks.

Question 34

What are some of the things the black shirts done?

Answer 34

Targeted key psi members and beat them up and forced them to drink castor oil. Killed 200 people in the first 5 months of 1921 Targeted socialist campaigns - using vehicles and weapons lent by the police and army

Question 35

What effect did squadristi violence have on the support for the PSI and the fascists

Answer 35

It broke the power of the socialists, while creating a myth that fascism saved Italy from revolution.

Question 36

What was the outcome of the may 1921 elections?

Answer 36

PSI still achieved the highest vote, however fascists made electoral breakthrough, winning 7% of the vote and 35 seats. Mussolini now had a say in parliament, which was game changing.

Question 37

What did the racist new programme consist of? (May 1920)

Answer 37

It dropped all calls for an end to monarchy Reference to the nationalisation of industry was removed, instead they are now more pro business and promised to sell nationally owned businesses to private investors. Also called for compulsory military service

Question 38

When did the fascist movement turn into a party?

Answer 38

October 1921 - Partito Nazionale Fascista

Question 39

Why was it a more formal party now?

Answer 39

Mussolini centralised his control over the movement Founded local branches Recruited respectable members Had to pay for a membership

Question 40

How many members were in PNF by end of 1921

Answer 40

200 000

Question 41

Who supported the PNF after 1921

Answer 41

``` The urban middle class - who feared increased taxation and socialist revolution The rural middle and upper class landowners and wealthier farmers - did not want land reform. Financial support Also came from industrialists and richer landowners who supported the fascist attempt to break up union power Young Italians were also tired of the corruption of the liberals and saw fascism as a new dynamic alternative that could revitalise Italy ```

Question 42

Why did some workers and labourers support the fascists?

Answer 42

They just wanted to work and provide and were treated badly when they didn’t strike with other workers

Question 43

What happened to the PSI in 1921 jan

Answer 43

It split in two, PCI formed. This weakened the left wing political strength.

Question 44

How did Mussolini play off the formation of the PCI, who were funded by the bolsheviks?

Answer 44

Provided Mussolini with propaganda that Italy was on the verge of revolution like that of Russia in 1917 and that racism is the only way forward as the PCI were being funded by the bolsheviks.

Question 45

What happened in July 1922 that allowed Mussolini to gain support

Answer 45

PSI and PCI claimed 24 hr general strike however no workers joined it and Mussolini claimed that its failure was due to fascism and that the PNF had halted revolution once again

Question 46

What were the results of the 1921 elections and what did giolitti have to do?

Answer 46

``` 123 socialist 107 PPI 15 PCI Libs 105 35 Faciats Giolitti had to resign. ```

Question 47

Even though the squads were an option to overthrow the government, what did Mussolini still want to try

Answer 47

He wanted to get the position of PM through parliamentary Channels, however he still allowed squad violence to take place, this was his dual policy.

Question 48

What were both ends of dual policy?

Answer 48

The radical members and the conservative members

Question 49

When did Mussolini call an end to squad violence and why

Answer 49

July 1921 - now that the socialist/communist threat was fading, supporters among the middle class and industrialists would wonder why racist violence is continuing when their aims had been achieved.

Question 50

When was the pact of pacification and what was it

Answer 50

August 1921 - a pact between the socialist trade union and the PSI members of parliament

Question 51

Why did Mussolini introduce the pact of pacification?

Answer 51

He said it was necessary to bring political and social peace to Italy at a time when it was most needed and it was also a play that he would hope would force the liberals and catholics would begin to work with him.

Question 52

Which 3 ras condemned the pact Of pacification?

Answer 52

Dino Grandi, Italo Balbo, Roberto Farinacci hated it called an end to the pact

Question 53

How did Mussolini respond to the condemnation of the pact by the three main ras?

Answer 53

He said that as they were not willing to follow he would resign, and did so on 18th august. He also gave some of the leading ras key roles like Giolitti in transformismo - Grandi was offered a prominent role on a new fascists journal which confirmed his support for M.

Question 54

What happened to the PNF when Mussolini resigned?

Answer 54

The PNF and the ras has no sense of direction and we’re unable to work together to formulate policy. Mussolinis absconds highlighted how cruicual he is to the success and flow of the party.

Question 55

Who did balbo ask to lead the fascists instead

Answer 55

Gabriel d annunzio, who refused, which strengthened Mussolini’s position in the party

Question 56

When was the PNF a confirmed organisation and what changes were made?

Answer 56

November 1921, fascist delegates supported Mussolini as leader, confirming the movement into a party. The squads were now under party leadership and not the ras and the pact of pacification was dropped. Mussolini also believed that violence was the only way to power, encouraging squad violence.

Question 57

What period did the squads/black shirts expand

Answer 57

Spring 1922 - racist violence expanded, attacking areas were socialists controlled the local council. In northern Italy, many towns fell to the fascists.

Question 58

Did the government try to stop this facists overtake of spring 1922

Answer 58

No

Question 59

What had the PNF been in 1921, what had it grown to now in 1922 after much squad violence?

Answer 59

It was 200 000 members in 1921 and grew to 320 000 members in 1922 and 500 000 workers joined facist trade unions.

Question 60

Did Mussolini still favour dual policy in 1922?

Answer 60

Yes, he said if the facists were accepted into coalition he would pursue a conservative policy, backing monarch, reducing taxes…

Question 61

Mussolini challenged the government, what did he get from it

Answer 61

Orlando called for a coalition involving the facists and nitti.

Question 62

Around sept/Oct 1922, the ras wanted a March on Rome but Mussolini still saw an opportunity to get PM constitutionally. He was also concerned that if they did March on rome, if the kind ordered them to be shut down, the squads would be no match for the army.

Answer 62

.

Question 63

On the 24th October what speech did Mussolini make?

Answer 63

In Naples he made a speech to all the squadristi there, saying that the facists will be allowed to govern, or they will just have to seize power through violence.

Question 64

What are the events of the March on Rome?

Answer 64

24 oct - speech 27 oct - the March begins, seizing control of telephone exchanges, police stations, govt offices. Facts asks king to use martial law and stop facists 28th oct - 2am king agrees to martial law and orders Mussolini arrest. However by 9AM he revokes this and facta resigns. King turns to Salandra who refuses 29th oct - with no one else to gain support for govt, king asks Mussolini for PM 30 oct - Mussolini arrives in Rome and meets the king to be sworn in as PM 31 oct - victory parade held by squadristi and the Quadrumviers, who March through Rome

Question 65

Why were the squads a problem for Mussolini when he became PM?

Answer 65

They were demanding further revolution and greater reward for helping Mussolini come to power. They were becoming increasingly thirsty for more violence and Mussolini wanted the facist party to be a normal party.

Question 66

How many racists did Mussolini have in the chamber of deputies and why was this problematic?

Answer 66

There were only thirty five fascists out of five hundred and something seats in the chamber of deputies. This was bad as he could only guarantee 35 votes as a base if he wanted to pass any laws.

Question 67

How many seats did the PSI have in the CoD when Mussolini was in power?

Answer 67

123.

Question 68

What did Mussolini have to do to placate the old ruling class?

Answer 68

He appointed the orthodox economist, Alberto De Stefani as the minister of France. This was a move that helped gain the support of conservative industrialists who were reassured that Mussolini wouldn’t make any radical economic changes.

Question 69

How did he gain the support of the Catholic Church?

Answer 69

He increased clerical pay, and reinstated crucifixes in schools.

Question 70

When did the ANI get absorbed into the fascist party or the PNF and why was this significant.

Answer 70

Feburary 1923 - this was important as now a major political party that could oppose was removed. The PNF were the only party representing Italian nationalism.

Question 71

Which ppi member did Mussolini appoint as the minister of work and why did this help the fascists.

Answer 71

Stefano Cavazzoni - Because if this he encouraged the party to collaborate with the PNF. This in turn made other catholic politions support this. By July 1923, the ppi leader Luigi Sturzo resigned over concern that the ppi was going to be absorbed into the PNF. The Pro catholic approach also encouraged the Vatican to support the PNF at the expense of the PPI. This was significant for the PPI’s decline.

Question 72

What allowed Mussolini to gain a year of emergency powers

Answer 72

Mussolini told the deputies that due to the political and economic turmoil, he should be given emergency powers to reform itsly. He also made a subtle threat that he had a private army 300 000 in which he was willing to use against any deputy who did not support him. There was 306 votes to 116, therefore Mussolini could not be removed from parliament for a year and could pass laws without the parliament.

Question 73

When was the Facist grand council set up, what was it’s leaders and what was the purpose of it

Answer 73

It was set up in December 1922: Italo Balbo, Michele Binachi and Emilio De Bono were it’s leaders. It’s purpose was to discuss key policies and was actually dominated by M to keep control of leading members of the PNF. This party also allowed Mussolini to centralise his power over the party.

Question 74

What allowed Mussolini to absorb all the squadristi into a formal party and why was this important?

Answer 74

in January 1923 the FGC made the MVSN which absorbed all the swuadristi into a formal party whose job was to support the army and police in defending the facist revolution. This allowed Mussolini to have 300 000 armed members with a pledged allegiance to mussolini. This allowed him to control the blackshirts at the expense of the ras

Question 75

PR made it difficult to win a majority. What law did Mussolini introduce that allowed 2/3 of the seats to go to the party who won 25% of the vote?

Answer 75

The Acerbo Law - it proposed that anyone who who won more than 25% of the vote would receive 2/3 seats

Question 76

Why did Mussolini justify the acerbo law?

Answer 76

He said it would bring stability to Italy by bringing a more coherent parliament about that could pass policies that Italy needed

Question 77

Who supported acerbo law, who didn’t?

Answer 77

The PCI AND PSI opposed the acerbo law, but liberals such as giolitti, the king and the Vatican also approved of it. Fascist also used violence to promote its support.

Question 78

When did Mussolini call for an election after the acerbo law was passed?

Answer 78

6 April 1924

Question 79

Was there still violent campaigns under the fascists?

Answer 79

Yes, fascist blackshirts destroyed hundreds of opposition offices as well as murdering the PSI candidate Antonio Piccinnini

Question 80

How else was support for PNF boosted other than violence for the 1924 elections?

Answer 80

Liberals such as Orlando and Salandra had themselves included on the government electoral list alongside the fascists. The opposition was also very divided and couldn’t unite against against the fascists (PCI PSI PPI…)

Question 81

Was the acerbo law necessary in relation to the outcome of the results of the 1924 elections?

Answer 81

Fascists gained 66.3 % of the vote with an electoral turnout of 64%. The acerbo was irrelevant

Question 82

Was violence the reason why fascists won the election. | In 1924

Answer 82

Although it had a role in their support, it was mainly due to weakness of the opposition

Question 83

How many seats did the PSI, PCI, AND PPI have. Tween them after the 1924melection?

Answer 83

80%

Question 84

What did matteotti (PCI Leader) campaign against following the reopening of parliament on the 30th may 1924

Answer 84

He talked against the corruption and violence that was involved in Mussolini’s campaign. He said the fascists had only won due to violence and were going to set up dictatorship no matter the results.

Question 85

What was Mussolini more afraid than the speech that he thought Matteoti had?

Answer 85

He thought he had a file on all of the fascist corruption and that he was gonna make it public

Question 86

When was matteotti kidnapped?

Answer 86

10 june 1924

Question 87

When and where was matteottis body found?

Answer 87

16 august in a shallow grave outside Rome

Question 88

Why did this cause unrest, who saw what?

Answer 88

Some guy saw matteotti body get dragged into the car of Mussolini’s press secretary.

Question 89

Who was arrested for the kidnapping?

Answer 89

On the 12 June - Amerigo Dumini (head of the fascists terror squad)

Question 90

How did this pressure the PNF government? (Matteoti crisis)

Answer 90

The old elite were concerned whether to side with a murderer. PSI PCI were calling for Mussolini’s dismissal. The ras saw this as a push for a dictatorship

Question 91

How many deputies left parliament in 13 June 1924 and what did they do

Answer 91

100 left and set up a new parliament Called aventine succession.

Question 92

Why was this good for Mussolini (the leaving of 100 deputies)

Answer 92

There were less people in parliament so legislation was easier to pass

Question 93

What forced Mussolini to establish a dictatorship?

Answer 93

Squad leaders said if he didn’t defeat the fascist revolution they would remove him as leader of the PNF. Salandra also declared his opposition to Mussolini and Mussolini feared that he could influence the king.