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Formation of an independent Italy
The formation of modern Italy happened with the capture of Rome. Italy’s capital was the moved from Florence to Rome, marking the unification. Picture is fairly self explanatory, it depicts Italy before and after its unification. -
Papal States taken over by new nation of Italy
Italians entered the Papal States in September of 1870 in order to take over the states and specifically Rome to add to the Kingdom of Italy. Picture is outlining the Papal States and how they fit into the Kingdom of Italy -
Failure of First Italo-Ethiopian War with the Battle of Adowa (Adwa)
The Battle of Adowa was the mark of Italian defeat within the Italo-Ethiopian War. Italians were gravely outnumbered, and the Ethiopian army gave a heavy blow. Image is a drawing of the war. -
Italy invades and takes over Libya
Italy’s reasoning for this invasion is that Italians are entitled to rule over former Roman territories; Libya was the only one not claimed by another European power. The hopes were to help the unemployment by setting poor Italians there. Libya, being part of the Ottoman Empire at the time, did not go quietly; hence, Italy took it by force and occupied it until WWI. Image is of Italians taking Libyan freedom fighters to concentration camps so they can maintain their power. -
Mussolini begins work as editor for the Socialist Party newspaper Avanti!
In his 30’s, he took over as editor for Avanti!, which was the official daily newspaper of Italy’s Social Party. Beforehand, he edited a socialist newspaper in Austria-Hungary throughout his 20s. The image is a page of the newspaper. -
Mussolini kicked out of Socialist Party for pro-nationalistic sentiments regarding WW
He was expelled out of the Socialist Party for advocating for Italy to come into WWI with military intervention which violated the party’s stance on neutrality. The picture is of the newspaper that Mussolini started after getting kicked out. -
Treaty of London
This treaty was a secret one between Italy and the Allies (France, Britain, and Russia). It is what brought Italy into WWI, as the Allies wanted them involved due to the boarder they share with Austria. The image shows what Italy would get back as a result of this treaty (the darkest shaded areas). -
Beginning of Biennio Rosso
This was an event of intense social conflict within Italy. It was caused by the aftermath of WWI, specifically an economic crisis as well as high unemployment and political instability. The image is of the socialist party within this conflict. -
Fascio di Combattimento formed in Milan
The Fascio di Combattimento (fighting group) was a political party consisting of fascists, formed by Mussolini, that were united based on their hatred of the liberal state. They intended to bring the nationalists and socialists together. They later became known as the fascists of the first hour. This image was chosen to show the FIC icon in 1919 Italy. -
D’Annunzio takes Fiume
Gabriele D’Annunzio led armed 1000 men into Fiume, where he took control and ruled the city for 15 months. He invaded with the hope of ‘uniting’ all Italian people under the Kingdom of Italy. This image was chosen to show what D’Annunzio looked like in 1919. -
Mussolini forms alliance with Giolitti
Mussolini formed a political alliance with the head of the Italian government, Giolitti. This was done to ensure political power in the Italian government after he became the leader of the PNF. This image was chosen to show what GIolitti looked like. -
Mussolini forms the PNF (Fascist Party) and is elected its leader
Former members of the Fasci di Combattimento reformed into a political party, the Partito Nazionale Fascista (PNF). The party was rooted in Italian nationalism and a desire to expand and restore Italian territories. This image was chosen to show the PNF icon in 1921. -
March on Rome and Mussolini becomes Prime Minister
As the ras wanted to move from local to national power, Mussolini was told that the ras intended to march on Rome and seize power. Mussolini participated to intimidate the liberal government into making concessions and appeasing his militant supporters. The four ras would try to seize control of the major towns and cities in Italy. It was an ultimate failure, though the king made Mussolini the prime minister. This image was chosen to show what Rome looked like during the insurrection. -
Acerbo Law passed
The Acerbo Law stated that whichever party obtained the greatest number of votes would receive two-thirds of the seats in Parliament, even if they didn’t receive two-thirds of the vote. With the help of the Acerbo Law, the 1924 elections gave power to the Fascists. The image was chosen to show what Acerbo looked like. -
Corfu Incident
Italian forces occupied Corfu, a Greek island. Mussolini ordered the naval bombing of Corfu after Italians forming an international boundary delegation were killed on Greek soil. This image was chosen to show the distance between Greece and Italy. -
Aventine Secession
The withdrawal of the Italian socialist party from parliament after the murder of Matteotti. This image was used because it demonstrates Matteotti's death, which led to the withdrawal. -
Battle for Grain
Was a campaign with the goal of pursuing self-sufficient wheat production in Italy. This image represents Mussolini trying to convince people to become self-sufficient through propaganda. -
Matteotti Crisis
An Italian socialist leader (Giacomo Matteotti) spoke out against Mussolini’s policies, which caused him to be kidnapped and killed. Mussolini shifted the blame to the secret police instead of himself. This image was chosen to show what Matteotti looked like before his murder. -
Locarno Treaty Signed
It was a treaty between Germany, Belgium, France, Great Britain, and Italy that was signed in Switzerland, a peaceful land. It was negotiated in October but was formally signed on December 1, 1925. This image represents the different countries sitting together to negotiate and sign the Locarno treaty. -
Battle for Births
It was a campaign that aimed to increase the Italian population from 40 million in 1927 to 60 million by 1950. This image was chosen because it represents the Fascist Mothers medal, an encouragement to have more children. -
Battle for Land and Battle for the Lira
The Battle for the Lira was an economic policy during the 1920s that attempted to raise the claims of Italy becoming a great power by increasing the power of the Italian currency in foreign countries.
The Battle For Land aimed to clear marshland to make it suitable for farming, reclaim land, and reduce health risks. This image represents Mussolini convincing the people to support the Battle for Land and the Battle for the Lira. -
Kellogg-Briand Treaty signed
It was an agreement that attempted to eliminate war as an instrument of national policy between 15 different countries, including Italy. This image represents everyone who signed the treaty. -
Lateran Treaty with Pope
It was a treaty that declared the Vatican City State as the pope's neutral and inviolable territory which guaranteed his political independence. The image represents the pope ad Mussolini signing the treaty. -
Abyssinia Crisis
An international crisis that erupted in 1935 as a result of the Walwal incident, which occurred during the ongoing battle between the Kingdom of Italy and the Ethiopian Empire. This photo represents the Abyssinian troops attempt on taking control of the forts. -
Stresa Front
An agreement between Italy, France, and Britain to oppose Adolf Hitler's intention to rearm Germany. The image represents the leaders coming together to form the Stresa Front. -
Italian involvement with Spanish Civil War
Italy sent 80,000 men, of whom almost 6,000 belonged to the Italian Air Force, 45,000 to the army and 29,000 to the fascist militia. This photo shows the Italian army joining the war and the amount of men involved. -
Rome-Berlin Axis Treaty signed
An agreement formulated by Italy's foreign minister Galeazzo Ciano informally linking the two fascist countries, this signalized the alliance of the three totalitarian powers. This photo represents the signing of the treaty on the day and the two forces that came together to make this happen. -
Munich Conference
The agreement averted the outbreak of war but gave Czechoslovakia away to German conquest The photo shows the agreement being made and finalized. -
Italy invades Albania
The conflict was a result of the imperialist policies of Mussolini. Albania was rapidly overrun, its ruler King Zog I forced into exile in neighboring Greece. The photo shows the invasion in act seeing the troops beginning to enter the region and attack. -
Mussolini brought down by coup during WW II
Benito Mussolini was voted out of power by his own Grand Council and was arrested upon leaving a meeting with King Vittorio Emanuele, who tells Il Duce that the war is lost. The photo shows the distress of the people as Mussolini caused this chaos -
Italy enters WW II on side of Germany
Mussolini decided to formalize the pact after Germany's occupation of Czechoslovakia because Mussolini believed that Germany was establishing itself as the hegemonic power within Europe and viewed an alliance with Germany more favorably than that of the western powers The photo shows Italy entering the war and siding with Germany -
Mussolini killed
In the final days of World War II in Europe, when he was summarily executed by an Italian partisan in the small village of Giulino di Mezzegra in northern Italy. The photo given shows Mussolini
