Unit 2G.1 - The rise and fall of fascism in Italy, c1911-46
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Theme 2 Italy: The rise of Mussolini and the creation of a fascist dictatorship, 1919-26
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Unit 2G.1 - The rise and fall of fascism in Italy, c1911-46
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This document includes revision notes regarding Theme 2 of the rise and fall of fascism module for History A Level. The well-organised notes include the rise of Mussolini and the creation of a fascist dictatorship in Italy throughout 1919-26, from a consistent grade A student. The concise notes can...
Unit 2G.1 - The rise and fall of fascism in Italy, c1911-46
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HOW EFFECTIVE WAS THE GOVERNMENT IN DEALING WITH ITALY’S PROBLEMS
FOLLOWING THE FIRST WORLD WAR?
MUTILATED VICTORY
- Italy’s victory was mutilated = didn’t receive anything they were promised in the 1915 Treaty of London:
- Italy was to gain their African colonies irredente lands Britain + France took these for
themselves = no consideration for Italy’s demands.
- Did not receive Fiume.
- Attitudes from Britain, France + USA at Paris Peace Conference Jan. 1919 = hostile = didn’t think
Italy were deserving of a ‘great power’ status = couldn’t justify Italy’s territorial claims.
- Italy did acquire Trent, Trieste, Istria + Northern Dalmatia officially in 1920.
- Aggravated Italian anger = Gabriele d’Annunzio called it a national shame.
- War not worth the 600,000 lives lost = weak liberal gov. = inferior to other European Powers.
- War damage = still had to pay loans to recover from debt.
- Hindered aims for Italian unity = divide between returning soldiers + those exempt from military service to
maintain industries for war effort = soldiers viewed the workers as cowards for not joining war.
- Actions of Francesco Nitti exacerbated situation = he down played Italy’s demands to not jeapordise Italy’s
relations with Britain + France + USA.
Italy = already weak economy = needed coal + money = only Allies could provide = he had no choice.
- Mussolini advantage = stated Italy needed stronger government that would not back down like the weak
liberals = instead would fight to regain Italy’s former glory = ensure such humiliation wouldn’t occur again.
THE OCCUPATION OF FIUME
- Nationalist right-wing groups = young men + returned soldiers = talks of rebellion in Rome = overthrow
liberal government.
- Gabriele d’Annunzio = prominent right-wing leader = was for Italian intervention into WW1.
- Failure of war angered him = he believed a victory could rejuvenate Italy + help reclaim its glorious past.
- 12th September 1919 = led protest of 2000 men = ex-soldiers, Futurists, students, patriots = seized port of
Fiume.
= simply taking back what was rightfully theirs.
- Fiume = symbol of Italy’s humiliating treatment at the Paris Peace Conference = presented as redemption
for the 600,000 dead soldiers.
- Overcoming shame of mutilated victory.
- Mussolini advantage = d’Annunzio’s actions helped masses realise liberal government was weak = showed
what could be achieved through violence + decisive action = Mussolini also learned the power that assertive
nationalism has over Italians.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC DISCONTENT
- Italy’s economy needed coal + money = only Allies could provide.
- Millions of soldiers were demobilised = flooded the job market = November 1919 unemployment = 2
million.
- Inflation = high = lira collapsed in value.
- Middle class Italians savings were wiped out.
- State employees’ wages + pensions declined.
- Major companies = Fiat + Ansaldo = benefitted from war production = now struggled to stay afloat.
- Biennio Rosso = period of political turmoil = 1919-20 = labour militancy + strikes.
- Largest army strike = Sept. 1920 = over 400,000 workers took over factories + flew flags of communism over
buildings for weeks.
- Countryside mirrored social + economic discontent = gov. couldn’t act on their promises of reform for
peasants who fought in WW1 = many demanding land for farming.
- Mussolini advantage = upper + middle classes looked towards right-wing organisations to provide an
alternative for the weak liberal gov. = one that would confront + destroy left-wing organisations pushing
Italy towards revolution.
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