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March 17, 1861. Italy is unified into a single kingdom under Victor Emmanuel II following the campaigns led by Giuseppe Garibaldi. The picture shows Garibaldi entering Naples on 7 September 1860 to share in his triumph of his battles which led to the unification of independent Italy. -
The Italians entered the Papal States in September 1870 and, through the backing of a plebiscite held in early October, annexed the Papal States and Rome to the Kingdom of Italy. The photos shows the final battle, Capture of Rome which marked both the final defeat of the Papal States under Pope Pius IX and the unification of the Italian peninsula under King Victor Emmanuel II of the House of Savoy -
A military clash at Adwa, in north-central Ethiopia, between the Ethiopian army of Emperor Menilek II and Italian forces. The Ethiopian army’s victory checked Italy’s attempt to build an empire in Africa. The victory had further significance for being the first crushing defeat of a European power by African forces during the colonial era. The painting of the battle illuminates the violence and losses Italy partook during this battle. -
The Invasion of Libya by Italy happened in 1911, when Italian troops invaded the Turkish province of Libya (then part of the Ottoman Empire) and started the Italo-Turkish War. As a result, Italian Tripolitania and Italian Cyrenaica were established, later unified in the colony of Italian Libya. The photo represents Italy's representation of the takeover of Ottoman Tripolitania in 1911 -
In 1912, Mussolini became editor of Avanti! (Forward!), the official daily newspaper of Italy’s Socialist Party. But he was expelled from the party two years later over his support for World War I. This photo is of what the Avanti! Newspaper looked like. -
At the beginning of WWI, Mussolini became more in favor with the nationalist views of other Italians. He saw WWI as beneficial for Italy as it allowed them to expand territory and increase power. This resulted in his removal from the Socialist Party. This newspaper was chosen as it talks about Mussolini’s support for the fascists regime (reason why he was kicked out) -
Was a secret treaty between Italy and the allied forces of Britain, France, and Russia. This would bring Italy into WWI. Italy was promised at the end of the war the territories of Trieste, Southern Tyrol, northern Dalmatia, etc, in return for a promise to join the war on the Entente side within a month. Picture shows what territories Italy was promised. -
Founded on March 23, 1919, and was dissolved on November 9, 1921. Was an Italian fascist organization that was made by Benito Mussolini. Picture shows the symbol for the organization -
Started April 15 1919. Ended in the fall of 1920. A period of intense social unrest following the economic crisis after WWI resulted in high unemployment and political instability. There were mass strikes (by the Red Guards) that eventually resulted in a violent reaction from the fascist blackshirts militia and the March on Rome in 1922. Picture shows workers that occupied a factory in protest. -
The city of Fiume went to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes however D’Annunzio was angered by this and wanted the “Italian city. Led a force of around 2,600 people and successfully seized the city and forced the withdrawal of the Allies. Welcomed by the Italian population in Fiume but opposed by the Italian government. The picture shows Gabriele D’Annunzio who was the man who seized Fiume for Italy. -
Mussolini formed an alliance with the head of the Italian government to ensure his political power in the government since he was becoming leader of the PNF. Picture shows image of the man Mussolini made an alliance with, Giolitti -
The Kellogg-Briand Treaty was signed on August 27, 1921, and took effect July 24, 1929. This outlawed war.
(A picture of the signed treaty) -
Party ruled after the March on Rome until the fall of the regime. It was a party made as a reorganization of the previous Italian Fasces of Combat. Mussolini was its leader until his fall in 1943. Picture shows -
Government declared a state of emergency so that they could use military and police force to stop the march of fascists in Rome. However, when this was presented to monarch Victor Emmanuel III, he refused to sign, as he felt he couldn’t depend on the army’s loyalty to him. So, he appointed Mussolini as prime minister. Image depicts the blackshirts actively marching on Rome, visualizes the event accurately -
Stated that the party that won the most votes would receive ⅔ of seats in parliament. The intention of this was to give Fascists the majority in the 1924 election. Image depicts the number of fascist seats in black, granted ⅔ of the seats under the Acerbo Law. -
An Italian general was assassinated in Greece, and Mussolini asked Greece to pay $50 million in reparations. Greece refused, and so Mussolini headed to Greek island Corfu and held it hostage until Greece paid. Image depicts Italian troops stationed in Corfu, shows they aren’t backing down until justice is paid -
Socialist Giacomo Matteotti condemned fascist violence/corruption during the election, calling the results a fraud. He was abducted on June 10th, 1924 in Rome, and it was assumed that he was murdered by Dumini’s group of the Ceka, which Mussolini created. Image depicts how Mussolini was able to suppress the arising issues associated with him and the Matteotti crisis -
The withdrawal of 150 left and center deputies from the Italian chamber of deputies to show their opposition to Benito Mussolini in reaction to the Matteotti Crisis. Image shows deputies and members of parliament walking out, visualizes Aventine Secession -
The Battle for Grain began in 1925 and was an economic policy taken on by Fascists in Italy as a move toward economic independence.
(Shows a newspaper article depicting what is happening) -
The Locarno treaty was mainly a mutual agreement between Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, and Great Britain guaranteeing peace in Western Europe. Image shows some of the leaders involved in the process of drafting and signing the Locarno treaty, the expression on their faces is neutral, just like they hoped to be in the future with one another -
The Battle for Births began in 1927 and had a projected end in 1950. Mussolini wanted to increase the population from 40 to 60 million by 1950. Unfortunately for Mussolini, this failed. By 1950 the population was at 47.5 million.
(Mothers Medal- given to mothers who had 5 children and a bow for every child after that.) -
The Battle for Land started in 1928 by Mussolini with the aim to make land suitable for farming by clearing the marshland. The Battle for the Lira occurred during the 1920s as an attempt to turn Italy into a great power. Mussolini wanted to restore purchasing power, however to do this the currency (Lira) needed to be strong. (Shows a lira) -
The Lateran treaty with the Pope was signed February 11, 1929, and took effect June 7th of the same year. This treaty led to the ratification by the Holy See (under pope) and the Kingdom of Italy (under king).
(Left to right: King Vittorio Emanuele III, Mussolini, Pope) -
The Abyssinian Crisis began on December 5, 1934. The crisis began over Italy’s policy of aggression against Ethiopia. Both countries pursued provocation against each other.
(Newspaper article from New York depicting what is happening during this crisis.) -
The Stresa Front was an alliance between Britain, France, and Italy. Agreed on April 14th 1935 that their prime ministers met to talk about German concerns. They met in Stresa, Italy, hence the name.
(A comic strip that was made to depict the Stresa front meeting) -
The Rome-Berlin Axis Treaty was signed on October 25, 1936. This treaty between Italy and Germany was formed by Italy’s foreign minister, Galeazzo Ciano. It linked the two fascist countries and was later formalized by the Pact of Steel in 1939. (This picture shows Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. This is significant to the treaty because the handshake shows the two countries, Italy and Berlin, coming together.) -
In February of 1937, Italy intervened in the Spanish Civil War in order to support the nationalist cause against the Second Spanish Republic. During this, Italy sent over 80,000 men and supplied them with 660 planes, 150 tanks, 800 artillery pieces, 10,000 machine guns, and 240,000 rifles. (This is a picture from the war in Spain. It was from Guadalajara in 1937. This also displays one of the many (1,800) cannons that was provided to the Spanish from the Italians.) -
This was an agreement concluded at Munich on September 30, 1938, by Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and France. This agreement allowed Germany to annex certain areas of Czechoslovakia without the outbreak of a war. (This is a picture of all of the leaders of Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy at the Munich Conference.) -
From April 7-12, 1939, Italy invaded Albania. This invasion was a brief military campaign and was a result of the imperialist policies of Benito Mussolini. Albania was rapidly overrun and forced into exile in neighbouring Greece. (This is a picture of Italy invading Albania and gives a visual of what it was like at the time.) -
On May 22, 1939, Italy and Germany signed the Pact of Steel which joined both countries in a military alliance. The pact was designed for a joint war against Britain and France. (This picture shows the alliance between Italy and Germany with Mussolini and Hitler.) -
On July 25, 1943, Mussolini was voted out of power by his own Grand Council and was arrested upon leaving a meeting with the King. This came as a result of the lack of support from the King as he told Mussolini to resign. (This is a picture of a newspaper at the time announcing the fall of Mussolini to the public.) -
Benito Mussolini died on April 28, 1945. He was executed by an Italian partisan in the small village of Giulino di Mezzegra in northern Italy. (This was one of the last pictures of Mussolini before he died.)