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Formation of an independent Italy
Italy fought 3 wars of independence as part of Risorgimento. The 1st occurred when Sardinia declared war on Austria-Hungary in 1848. The 2nd occurred in 1859 after Sardinia got a defensive pact with France and declared war on Austria. Sardinia won Lombardy. In the 3rd war, Venice was seized and Italy was united under one government in 1861. [Picture] Charles Albert, King of Piedmont-Sardinia, who declared war on Austria. -
Papal States taken over by new nation of Italy
While France was occupied with the Franco-Prussian War, Italy annexed Rome and the Papal States. They were united with the new Italy, thereby completing unification. [Picture] Pope Pius IX, leader of the Papal States until annexation. -
Failure of First Italo-Ethiopian War with the Battle of Adowa (Adwa)-1896
Italy upset Abyssinia with the conquest of Eritrea and refused Italian interference in their country. Italy occupied the Abyssinian province of Tigre in 1895 anyway, but they were painfully defeated by Abyssinia in the Battle of Adowa. The defeat was a blow to national pride. [Picture] Ethiopian painting of the battle. Demonstrates nationalist pride earned through Italy’s defeat. -
Italy invades and takes over Libya
Italy invades and takes over Libya- 1911
Italy invaded Libya in 1911 to expand the kingdom and stop French influence in North Africa. They successfully stamped out Turkish resistance, which caused nationalists to become excited and demand a more aggressive foreign policy. [Picture] Libyan resisters being taken to concentration camps by Italian troops. -
Mussolini begins work as editor for the Socialist Party newspaper Avanti
Mussolini was a devoted socialist even before writing for Avanti. He became editor of Avanti after being released from prison and advocated for revolution and violence against the liberal government. [Picture] Advertisement for the Avanti! paper. -
Mussolini kicked out of Socialist Party for pro-nationalistic sentiments regarding WWI
Mussolini kicked out of Socialist Party for pro-nationalistic sentiments regarding WW I- 1914
When Italy joined WWI on the Allie’s side, Mussolini supported the decision. This led to him being accused of being pro-nationalist and sacked as editor. [Picture] Heading of The People of Italy, Mussolini’s fascist paper. -
Treaty of London
taly signed the Treaty of London and joined the war on the Allies’ side in 1915. The treaty promised them some territory, but when the Paris Peace Conference began in 1919, Orlando also requested Fiume and African colonies in response to pressure from the nationalists. They were denied this request, which led to nationalists calling the win a ‘mutilated victory’. [Picture] Gabrielle D’Annunzio, the nationist who coined the term ‘mutilated victory’. -
Beginning of Biennio Rosso
For two years, workers went on strike and occupied factories. This movement was by the socialists, syndicalists, and anarchists as a result of an increase in inflation and unemployment after WWI. Workers demanded more control and more often joined trade unions during the Biennio Rosso, which ended in 1920. [Picture] Workers in one of the “red guards” gathered in 1920. -
Fascio di Combattimento formed in Milan
The Fasci di Combattimento (combat fasci) was formed by Mussolini, mostly composed of WWI veterans. The Fasci were used in violence against socialists. In the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, Italy gained some territory, but not Fiume. Mussolini used this to gain the support of war veterans. The Fascio di Combattimento were disbanded on November 9, 1921. [Picture] One of the combat fasci, specifically the paramilitary blackshirts (Arditi). -
D’Annunzio takes Fiume
After the Allies refused to give the Italians Fiume in the Treaty of Versailles, D’Annunzio and 2,000 Italian nationalists took Fiume, forcing Allied occupation out. The goal was to be annexed by Italy, but its liberal government refused, so D’Annunzio created a regency with himself as the head of government (Duce). He surrendered in December 2020 to the Italian Navy. [Picture] D’Annunzio and his men in Fiume in 1919. -
Mussolini forms alliance with Giolitti
Giolitti created the anti-socialist National Bloc, a political alliance between him (liberals), Mussolini (the Fasci di Combattimento), Corradini (The Italian Nationalist Association), and other right-wing groups. Mussolini agreed to join despite his public statements about the fascist revolution. [Picture] A cartoon depicting Giolitti addressing the conservatives and the workers in different clothes: he wanted to appeal to all even if it meant a lack of consistency. -
Mussolini forms the PNF (Fascist Party) and is elected its leader
Mussolini resigned from the Fascist Central Committee to avoid the ras’ control and reformed into the Partito Nazionale Fascista (PNF). This was a political reorganization of the Fasci di Combattimento. In November 1921, he was elected as its leader, after promising to end the truce with socialists and organize action squads to carry out violent maintenance of fascist power. [Picture] Partito Nazionale Fascista (National Fascist Party) party emblem. -
Battle for Births
1922-1942; One of 4 economic battles that happened in Italy. Mussolini wanted Italy to return to its former Roman glory so increased births were necessary to create more soldiers for war. He utilized the church's beliefs of contraception and gender roles to fuel his ideology. [Picture] Image of Mussolini with a woman and children to promote family life and an increased population. -
March on Rome and Mussolini becomes Prime Minister
Mussolini agreed to take control because the ras would take it otherwise. Since Mussolini stayed behind for most of the march, Balbo, Bianchi, De Vecchi, and De Bono were the main leaders. On October 27, fascists took infrastructure in northern Italy, the next day 40,000 marched into Rome. After the king refused to use military force, Mussolini accepted prime minister on October 29. [Picture] Italo Balbo, Emilio De Bono, and Benito Mussolini during the March on Rome in October 1922. -
Corfu Incident
While mediating a border dispute between Albania and Greece, Italian General Enrico Tellini and his staff are murdered in Greece. In response, Italy invades and occupies Corfu island, ignoring the League of Nations' demands to leave. -
Acerbo Law passed
This law was used in the 1924 general elections by the fascists to gain a majority in parliament. The party with the most votes would get ⅔ of the seats in parliament. Since laws were passed by majority votes, having a majority in parliament would allow fascists to pass legislation more quickly. This was a legal maneuver to gain and maintain power. [Picture] Results of the Chamber of Deputies election, with black being the fascists. -
Matteotti Crisis
Giacomo Matteotti was a socialist member of parliament opposed to the Fascist government. He publicly condemns fascism and leads demonstrations. Soon after he is killed, and the belief that Mussolini ordered his assassination leads to mass protests in Italy. This shifts Mussolini’s administration to an authoritarian regime. -
Aventine Secession
130 members of parliament resigned their positions in response to Mussolini not clarifying the death of Matteotti. This was a total loss of opposition and gave Mussolini and the national fascist party absolute power. -
Battle for Grain
In an effort to make Italy self-sufficient in grain, heavy tariffs were put on the import of grain, as well as grants given to farmers to increase production. -
Locarno Treaty signed
Negotiated in Locarno, Switzerland, the treaty agreed Germany would never go to war with these nations again, and solidified western-European borders with Germany, while leaving the border with Poland and E. Europe open to revision -
Battle for Land and Battle for the Lira
In an effort to increase Italy’s arable land, many swamps are drained, and the government provides money to farmers for draining marshes and providing land for settlement. // Campaign to increase the value of Italian Currency (Lira) to 90:1 with the Pound Sterling. -
Kellogg-Briand Treaty signed
Nations that signed this international treaty promised not to use war to resolve disputes The pact was signed by Germany, France, and the United States. A common criticism is that the Kellogg–Briand Pact did not live up to all of its aims, but it has arguably had some success. it did not end militarism or WW2. [Picture] The signing of the Kellogg-Briand Treaty. -
Lateran Treaty with Pope
These agreements created a political treaty that created the state of Vatican City and granted independent sovereignty to the Pope. [Picture] Vatican and Italian delegations before signing the Treaty. -
Italian involvement with Spanish Civil War
In March 1934, Mussolini met with Spanish politicians and generals who were opposed to the Second Republic and promised to contribute 10,000 rifles, 10,000 hand grenades, 200 machine guns, and a million pesetas (Spain’s currency) in event of a military uprising. However, Mussolini failed to keep his promise of immediate aid on the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. -
Abyssinian Crisis
Mussolini used the idea of reviving the Roman times in Italy to invade Abyssinia to get more land to recreate the roman empire. This shattered the trust of the league of nations as other nations felt betrayed. [Picture] Italy’s advance into Abyssinia during its attempt to take over. -
Stresa Front
An alliance between Britain, France, and Italy. Their prime ministers met to discuss their concerns towards Germany to stop Adolf Hitler. However, The front collapsed completely with the Italian invasion of Abyssinia. [Picture] The ministers walked into the Stresa front to form an alliance. -
Rome-Berlin Axis Treaty signed
This was a coalition between Italy and Germany and also included Japan. Which informally linked the two fascist countries for WWII. The powers both agreed on opposition to the allies but not to completely coordinate their activity. [Picture] Hitler and Mussolini together for the formation of the Rome-Berlin Axis Treaty. -
Munich Conference
Adolf Hitler was determined to seize Sudetenland, which was in Czechoslovakia but had a substantial German population and important industrial resources. On September 30, 1938, a settlement was reached by Germany, Great Britain, France, and Italy permitting German annexation of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia. -
Italy invades Albania
On April 7 Mussolini's troops invaded Albania and the operation was led by General Alfredo Guzzoni. Despite some resistance by some patriots, Durrës was captured on April 7, Tirana the following day, Shkodër and Gjirokastër on April 9, and almost the entire country by April 10. -
Mussolini brought down by coup during WWII
Mussolini’s declaration of war on Britain and France in June 1940 exposed Italian military weakness and was followed by a series of defeats in North and East Africa and the Balkans. In July 1943, Allied troops landed in Sicily. Mussolini was overthrown and imprisoned by his former colleagues in the Fascist government. -
Italy enters WWII on side of Germany
Both Germany and Italy wanted to accomplish their common interest in destabilizing the European order and on November 1, 1936, they announced a Rome-Berlin Axis. Furthermore, on May 22, 1939, Germany and Italy signed the Pact of Steel which formalized the Axis alliance with military provisions. Finally, on September 27, 1940, Germany, Italy, and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact, which became known as the Axis alliance. -
Mussolini killed
On April 28, 1945, Benito Mussolini was shot by Italian partisans who had captured him attempting to flee to Switzerland. Mussolini feared he would be tried as a war criminal, so he settled on escaping to a neutral country. He made it to the Swiss border, only to discover that the guards had crossed over to the partisan side. He was discovered by partisans and shot where his body was transported to Milan and hung upside down, displayed publicly for the masses.