Benito MussoliniFascist Dictator of Italy

1922-1943

“il Duce”

Early Mussolini

• Born in Predappio on July 29, 1883.

• Father was a socialist blacksmith.

• Mother was a teacher.• Married Rachele Guidi

at age 17.• Had 5 children &

became a teacher.

Early Mussolini

• Arrested for criticizing Italy’s war in Libya in 1911 to 1912.

• After prison, edited the Socialist party newspaper in Milan.

• Expelled from the party for wanting to join the allies in WWI.

Italy entersThe Great War

1914-1918

Mussolini in WWI• WWI veteran discharged

for being wounded by a misfired hand grenade.

• Felt Italy was shortchanged after WWI.

• Organized the Fascist party.

• Ruled by fear, with his “Black Shirts” (thugs).

Mussolini controls Italy• Marched on Rome in 1922.• Appointed Prime Minister by King Victor

Emmanuel III on Oct. 28, 1922.• Attempted to solve political & economic

problems left over after WWI.• Suspended elections & outlawed political

parties.• Established a dictatorship in a totalitarian

state.

• Oct. 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia or Abyssinia (East Africa).

• Wanted revenge for loss in 1896 at Aduwa. Keeping Ethiopia from being colonized.

• Italian bombers & tanks versus Ethiopian spears.• Ethiopia was a member of the League of Nations

and expected help from Britain & France.• By May 5, 1936 Italy captured capital of Addis

Ababa. The League lifted the minor sanctions & Italy left the League a year later.

Italian Expansion

Ethiopia

Benito Mussolini rules Italy!

April 1945, Milan Mussolini and Clara

Petacci hung by Italian Partisans

• the daughter of Benito’s third son. Benito was her grandfather!

• a representative in the European Parliament today!• Her Aunt is actress Sophia Loren.• 1983 Playboy model (Germany & Italy), politician, Neo-

fascist. • 1992 elected to Naples constituency (neo-fascist

Movimento Sociale Italiano or MSI). Lost the Mayor of Naples election.

• 2003 she was elected a member of the European Parliament.

• She is anti-Semitic, Anti-Homosexual.• Serves on the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

committee along with two other committees.

Allesandra Mussolini