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Formation of an independent Italy
The Risorgimento, led by Count Camillo di Cavour created an independent Italy from Austria. Italians were not fully united but Italy was independent.
The photo is of Count Camillo di Cavour. -
Papal States taken over by new nation of Italy
Italians entered Papal states in 1870 and overtook them in 1871. This caused Catholics to dislike Italy.
The picture shows a map of Italy, including the Papal States. -
Failure of First Italo-Ethiopian War with the Battle of Adowa (Adwa)
Italians were defeated in the Battle of Adowa by Abyssinia. Many Italians were embarrassed by the defeat.
The painting shows a photo of the Battle, displaying a clear divide between Italy and Abyssinia. -
Italy invades and takes over Libya
Italy's goals were to increase Italian territory. Italy successfully took over Libya to fulfill their goal. The photo demonstrates Italy overtaking Libya through invasion. -
Mussolini begins work as editor for the Socialist Party newspaper Avanti
Mussolini advocated for violence against liberal states however some of his socialism was not what many agreed with. The photo displays a photo of the newspaper Avanti! -
Mussolini kicked out of Socialist Party for pro-nationalistic sentiments regarding WW I
Mussolini started his own newspaper, Il Popolo d'Italia, to promote the war. His paper was financed by large companies. As a result of his paper, he was kicked out of he socialist party. The photo displays the newspaper Il Popolo d'Italia. -
Treaty of London
Italy joined the war as part of the triple entente as a result of liberal politicians.
The map shows what was promised from the treaty of London and what Italy truly got. -
Beginning of Biennio Rosso
Unemployment rose, strikes, factory and land occupations swept across Italy. Socialist trade unions grew.
The photo shows the definition of biennio rosso meaning “two red years” -
Fascio di Combattimento formed in Milan
Members were also known as founders of the first hour. Fascio di Combattimento was meant to bring socialists and fascists together. Combined left and right wing ideas. The photo shows the founders of the first hour -
D’Annunzio takes Fiume
D’Annunzio overshadowed Mussolini and took Fiume. He became an Italian hero. As a result, Mussolini took inspiration from him. The photo is an image of Gabriele D’Annunzio. -
Mussolini forms alliance with Giolitti
Mussolini reassured Giolitti that his party would not push for a revolution. Giolitti offered the fascist party a National Bloc electoral alliance against the socialists in the May 1921 election. Mussolini ended up earning 35 seats, making him a deputy.
Giolitti was the prime minister, making him a significant figure needed for Mussolini’s consolidation of power. This alliance also represents Mussolini’s negotiable nature and less of a true fascist. -
Mussolini forms the PNF (Fascist Party) and is elected its leader
Mussolini convinced the Fascio di Combattimento members to re-form into the Partito Nazionale Fascista (PNF) in October 1921 and then convinced them to elect him as their leader in November. He did this by promising to end the truce with socialists and organize action squads in return.
This is the PNF's emblem; its formation was significant as it was a strategic method for Mussolini to consolidate power by creating a party with him as leader and leaving the ras’s influence behind. -
March on Rome and Mussolini becomes Prime Minister
Local fascist leaders planned to seize power. The king refused to begin martial law, conceded his power after listening to Antonio Salandra, and appointed Mussolini as Prime Minister.
Mussolini’s success in consolidating power in Italy can be attributed to King Emmanuel III; therefore, his role in this event was highly significant. -
Acerbo Law passed
Giacomo Acerbo proposed the Acerbo Law - the party who won 25% or greater of the vote would gain two-thirds of the seats in Parliament. The Acerbo Law gave Mussolini an advantage in the next election by removing the proportional representation system.
Acerbo himself was significant in proposing this law for Mussolini. -
Corfu Incident
After an Italian general was murdered in Greece, Mussolini ordered that Greece pay compensation with 50 million Lire. Greece ended up paying the fine, despite not being responsible, because of an Italian marine threat by Mussolini.
This photo represents how the Corfu Incident made Mussolini seem like a hero and helped him gain status in the election alongside the Acerbo Law. -
Matteotti Crisis
Giacomo Matteotti, a socialist, declared the election results to be a fraud due to fascist corruption with the Acerbo Law. Mussolini arrested Amerigo Dumini (Ceka leader) to win back support, but newspapers began spreading that he was guilty.
Matteotti represents the opposition and struggles with Mussolini's maintenance of power. -
Aventine Secession
The spread of rumors by newspapers about Matteotti’s death led to the Aventine Secession: a parliament boycott against Mussolini. Socialist, communist, and Popolari deputies walked out of the Chamber to force the king to dismiss Mussolini and declare themselves as true representatives of the Italian people.
The Aventine Secession during Mussolini’s rule was named after the secession during ancient Rome. -
Battle for Grain
Italy was dealing with poor harvest and a dependence on grain imports. Mussolini launched this campaign in response. The battle was successful in making Italy self-sufficient in wheat production, but created the misallocation of resources. Italy had to rely on olive oil imports instead.
Wheat was an important commodity in Italy, which is why Mussolini wanted to grow more. -
Locarno Treaty signed
The Locarno Treaty guaranteed Germany’s western border; Britain and Italy pledged to shut down any aggression on the border.
The Locarno Treaty intended to create peace between European countries. -
Battle for Land and Battle for the Lira
In the Battle for Land, marshes and swamps were drained to expand farmland. Small farms and jobs were created, but the Pontine Marshes was the extent of expansion. In the Battle for the Lira, the Lire was revalued to stop increasing prices. Italy could continue importing coal and iron, but exports declined, goods increased in price, and a recession began.
This image shows Mussolini helping out at a farm, showing his values around autarchy in Italy. -
Battle for Births
Mussolini wanted to increase the population to make a large army for future expansion so he gave incentives for having more children in the Battle for Births.
However, birth rates declined and women still made up 1/3 of the workforce; thus, the battle was very unsuccessful. -
Kellogg-Briand Treaty signed
A multilateral agreement that attempted to end war as an instrument of national policy. Many conditions were established, such as self-defense, and were misinterpreted, leading to the treaty’s ineffectiveness and failure to be enforced. This picture signifies the numerous nations around the world agreed to this treaty, however the treaty never worked due to the failure to agree. -
Lateran Treaty with Pope
Mussolini wanted to increase Italian support for the fascist party, so he created the Lateran Treaties with the Pope. In these treaties, the Vatican city became an independent state, the Pope recognized the Italian state, and agreed that Roman Catholicism would be the official state religion of Italy. Pope Pius XI was a significant figure in garnering more support for Mussolini's fascist party, however Italians still opposed the party. -
Abyssinian Crisis
Italy expanded its influence in Africa by building the Wal Wal Fort in Abyssian territory, and in 1934, Abyssinian troops attempted to take control of the fort. This picture shows the weakness of the League of Nations, in which this crisis highlighted. -
Stresa Front
Coalition of France, Britain, and Italy to oppose Adolf Hitler’s intention to rearm Germany as it went against the Treaty of Versailles. This failed due to the Italian invasion of Abyssinia. -
Italian involvement with Spanish Civil War
Mussolini sent aircraft, bombs, guns, tanks, vehicles, Blackshirts, troops, etc. to aid Spain and support the nationalist cause against the Second Spanish Republic. This picture represents the troops and armies Mussolini supplied to help Nationalists in Spain. -
Rome-Berlin Axis Treaty signed
A coalition formed between Italy and Germany. This treaty linked the two fascist powers together, but later also joined with Japan. This picture shows the partnership between Mussolini and Adolf Hitler in the Rome-Berlin Axis Treaty. -
Munich Conference
Germany, Italy, Great Britain, and France signed the Munich agreement, which gave Germany the permission to annex Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia. This map shows the land of Czechoslovakia that Germany was given permission to annex. -
Italy invades Albania
Mussolini invaded Albania because of his imperialistic ideals. Albanian ruler King Zog I was forced into exile and Albania was forced to be a part of the Italian Empire as a protectorate. This picture depicts Italian troops in Durrës, attacking Albanian ports. -
Italy enters WWII on side of Germany
Italy entered WWII on the side of Germany to try and gain the territories they didn’t gain in WWI. This political cartoon represents Italy's connection with Germany to defeat the Allies. -
Mussolini brought down by coup during WWII
The invasion of Sicily led to the collapse of the Fascist Italian regime and the fall of Mussolini. Its occupied territories fell under German control. This map shows the planned invasion of Sicily which brought down Mussolini and Italy in WWII. -
Mussolini killed
Mussolini was assassinated by an Italian partisan in the small village of Giulino di Mezzegra in Northern Italy. This is a picture of Mussolini, he was a significant authoritarian figure that ruled over Italy and essentially influenced other authoritarian leaders to come, such as Adolf Hitler.
