BENITO MUSSOLINI

BACKGROUND

• Born-July 29, 1883
• An Italian politician
• Hometown: Predappio, Italy
• Died: April 1945 (Italians)

COMING TO POWER

POLITICS

• Benito was politician in Italy
• Was leader for 21 years
• Became dictator of Italy in 1925
• Supported Italian socialist in Switzerland

PUBLIC SPEAKING

• Excellent speaker
• Got people riled up
• Hand motions
• The office speech
• http://youtu.be/mlPc6eYSslA

WWII

• Fascist dictator over Italy
• Army: Called Blackshirts
• Hitler told him what to do
• Attacked Greece, Rome, Ethiopia, and N Africa

ROME

• March: October 22-29 1922
• Formed a cabinet on October 29, 1922
• Demanded presidency of the council
• Legally reached power of Italy
• Many public authorities surrendered

MUSSOLINI'S ARMY

• Known as voluntary militia
• Inspired by Arditi
• Est. 1919
• About 1 million soldier

LAWS PASSED

• Acerbo: if party receives 25%=get 2/3 parliament
• Manifesto: racial laws like Nuremberg laws

INTERESTING FACTS

• One arm shorter than the other
• 1915 had son from Sopramonte
• Was violent from youth (expelled)
• Knifed girlfriend
• Arrested 1903: promoting violence