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Formation of an independent Italy
Due to a movement known as the Risorgimento Movement Italy was unified. With exception to the province Rome was in, which joined later.
Visual: It's a map of the Unified Italy in 1861, it shows what territories joined and hadn't yet. -
Papal States taken over by New Italy
This event put an official end to the Papal states and forced them to be full members of unified Italy. Visual: A map showing the land area of the Papal States, which is important for the context of what was taken control over. -
Failure of First Italo-Ethiopian War with the Battle of Adowa (Adwa)
A part of the scramble for Africa, Italy's attempt to colonize Ethiopia which ended in disaster for Italy as the Ethiopians defeated them in the battle of Adowa leading to a retreat from the country. This battle humiliated the Italians and secured Ethiopian sovereignty until the second world war.
Visual: A tapestry depicting the Ethiopian victory over the Italian army/ -
Italy invades and takes over Libya
The Italian invasion of Libya was successful this time and Italy got their first colonial African possession, a contentious move many socialists disagreed with and protested against. They were also seeking to weaken French colonial power by taking the strategically valuable Libya.
Visual: This is a map of the Libya that Italy colonized. -
Mussolini begins work as editor for the Socialist Party newspaper Avanti
This is when Mussolini began promoting revolution against the Liberal government, he began doing this after having been arrested before by the Italian government.
Visual: Provides a picture of the news he edited, Avanti! -
Mussolini kicked out of Socialist Party for pro-nationalistic sentiments regarding WWI
Mussolini believed WW1 could create the socio-economic situation that socialism needs to start the revolution all across Europe, so he supported the war and Italy being involved in it, which angered his socialist friends. -
Treaty of London
The treaty of London was the promised territory to Italy if they were to enter the war on the side of the allies, in the end the treaty was ignored which festered resentment among the Italian people. Since they just fought a war and got their motivation taken from them.
Visual: The map of territory Italy was supposed to get after the war. -
Beginning of Biennio Rosso
A two year period in Italian history where unemployment increased and the economy suffered, this was caused by the world war taking millions of men from Italy, be it through injury, death, or they were still busy fighting. Strikes and other crimes were rampant during these times.
Visual: An image of a protest during this time period in Italy. -
Fascio di Combattimento formed in Milan
The Fascio di Combattimento was created in the city of Milon, it was a movement of nationalistic individuals that believed in various things. It was an effort to unite them under one ideology.
Visual: This visual is a symbol of the movement itself. -
D’Annunzio takes Fiume
D’Annunzio took Fiume with a legion of 2 thousand men and occupied the territory. The people occupying were doing so in a region promised to Italy in the treaty of London and when the occupation ended many of those people went to Mussolini after.
Visual: A picture of some of the 2 thousand men who occupied the territory. -
Mussolini forms alliance with Giolitti
In 1921 Mussolini formed an alliance with Giolitti, the head of the Italian government. He did this to ensure the power of the Italian government by getting on Mussolini's good side to prevent any dangerous situations with him.
Visual: A picture of Giolitti -
Mussolini forms the PNF (Fascist Party) and is elected its leader
After allying with the head of Italy's government Mussolini formed the Fascist party. Allying with Giolitti helped a lot because Giolitti did nothing to stop this new fascist party from gaining power in parliament.
Visual: The PNF logo -
March on Rome and Mussolini becomes Prime Minister
The march on Rome is when Mussolini gained fascist power over all of Italy, the King, fearing Mussolini gave him this power as the prime minister seat, at which point Mussolini took dictatorial power over Italy.
Visual: A picture of Mussolini from the march on rome. -
Corfu Incident
While Italy was in a crisis with the country of Greece, his people and himself were upset that Italian blood(An Italian General) was being spilled in Greece instead of saved for Italy itself. So he flexed political power in his occupation of Corfu.
Visual: A photo of the occupation force in Corfu. -
Acerbo Law passed
This law was a power grab by Mussolini to give himself the majority of deputies in Italy.
Visual: The man the law was named after -
Matteotti Crisis
A political leader spoke out against Mussolini, Mussolini being the fascist dictator of Italy had this political leader killed. The public was greatly upset by this so Mussolini blamed his secret police to shift the blame.
Visual: A picture of Matteotti. -
Aventine Secession
This was the withdrawal of 150 Italian leaders from deputy status as a show of disapproval to the fascist dictator Mussolini. As they believed he was not properly acting as a leader and that he had committed crimes against Italy.
Visual: A picture of some individuals who left deputy status. -
Battle for Grain
Trying to form an autocracy Mussolini had farmers increase grain growth, however, the overgrowth of grain resulted in weakening other resource production and ended up backfiring on him.
Visual: A picture of your typical grain farmer in Italy -
Locarno Treaty signed
The treaty was negotiated and signed within Locarno Switzerland was a treaty between Britain and Italy that they must assist each other in repelling armed aggression. However, Italy felt betrayed because they didn't get what they wanted from the treaty.
Visual: A picture of the 3 men who signed the treaty. -
Battle for Land and Battle for the Lira
This was an economic policy project to make Italy into one of the great powers in Europe and the world. The idea was to free up land for farmers so they could export more resources. However, the opposite happened and export prices increased and volume decreased, land redistribution had failed.
Visual: This image depicts Mussolini on top of what looks to be farming equipment, showing that farming is the base on which Italy stands. -
Battle for Births
The plan here was to increase birthrates among Italian women to increase the labor pool and boost the economy. However, this failed spectacularly as birthrates actually fell in fascist Italy.
Visual: Shows an Italian child care area which is related to birth. -
Kellogg-Briand Treaty signed
This treaty prohibited acts of war and was signed by 15 different countries including Italy. They did this to create a better reputation for themselves in the national stage.
Visual: This is a picture of the people who signed the treaty. -
Lateran Treaty with Pope
Mussolini signed a treaty with the pope in hopes of improving support for him by appealing to religion. He gave the Pope Vatican city and a huge amount of money.
Visual: Shows the signing of the treaty. -
Abyssinian Crisis
Italy invaded Abyssinia, this was a blatant violation of the Kellogg-Briand treaty of the League of Nations and so the League placed sanctions upon Italy which resulted in pushing Italy away from the League.
Visual: A political cartoon depicting Mussolini as a greedy person who is killing people during his invasion of Abyssinia. -
Stresa Front
This was an combined effort to prevent Germany rearming themselves between Italy, Britain, and France. This was a clear violation of the treaty of Versailles which Italy itself didn't like to begin with.
Visual: This is a political cartoon about the Stresa Front conference. -
Italian involvement with Spanish Civil War
As Spain spiraled deeper into Civil war Italy took the chance to begin support for the nationalist party in the civil war, they carried out bombing operations and other supportive acts.
Visual: Shows how Italy has been abused by foreign powers, including Italy. -
Rome-Berlin Axis Treaty signed
The signing of the treaty between Hitler and Mussolini cementing the alliance between Europe's two fascist dictatorships. This alliance lead to further violence against Jews in Italy.
Visual: Depicts Hitler and Mussolini together showing their alliance. -
Munich Conference
This conference led to an agreement between Italy and Germany for Germany to spread their influence over other countries by annexation and other military means, to expand their empire's borders. Britain and France also attended but only signed to try and prevent WW2.
Visual: An image of the people there at the signing -
Italy invades Albania
Mussolini decides to invade Albania in the beginning of World War 2, they hoped to expand their influence in the region, and for the nationalist hope of becoming a European power like Britain and Germany.
Visual: This is an image of Italian news proclaiming Albania's conquest. -
Italy enters WWII on side of Germany
Italy joins Germany's side in WW2 officially, the Italian people were very against this decision and riots sparked across Italy, but the immediate benefits were land and power.
Visual: Depicts the map of Europe now that Italy joined on Germany's side, -
Mussolini brought down by coup during WWII
When the war began shifting in the allies favor the Italian people realized that Italy had lost, their alliance with Germany was a threat to them and this led to Mussolini being removed from power and a new party coming to control Italy.
Visual: The group of people who took it upon themselves to overthrow Mussolini. -
Mussolini killed
After he lost power Mussolini was executed by communists after his second arrest. He and his mistress were both shot to death.
Visual: This is an image of the execution of Mussolini.
