1. Il Duce
Italy’s Finest Hour?

2. Let’s Review: Quick Write
2. In your own words, describe what life was like
during the 1930’s depression in Europe. How do
you think this lead to a dictator coming to power
in European countries?

3. Italy and Mussolini
• How did the Great Depression effect Italy?
Trace Mussolini’s rise to power, on his way to becoming
Italy’s Dictator : pg 455
1. Why were Italians angry after WWI?
2. How did Mussolini’s political View Change throughout
WWI?
3. Which political party did Mussolini create in 1919?
4. What kind of speaker was Mussolini?
5. Who were the ‘black shirts’ and how did they help
Mussolini take power?

5. Italy and Mussolini
1. WWI Italian veterans were upset that after the war Italy
did not receive the territory they were promised. Italians
felt like the government had turned Italy into a laughing
stalk.
2. Mussolini believed in socialism until after WWI, where
he replaced it with nationalism and capitalist economy
3. Combined extreme pride in your country and working
for the good of the state with a capitalist economy to
create FASCISM
4. Fiery passionate speaker, promised change and
prosperity for Italy, people wanted change
5. The black shirts were Mussolini’s army of WWI
veterans who used fear and intimidation and violence to
help Mussolini gain control

7. Mussolini has Arrived on Time
• Describe Mussolini’s seizure of power: pg
455-456
1. What was the March of Rome?
2. How did Mussolini gain legal control of Italy?
3. What does Il Duce mean?
4. What were Mussolini’s economic policies?
5. What were Mussolini’s social policies?

9. Mussolini Arrived on Time
1. Mussolini and the black shirts had gained support of the public and
political power, announced to the Italian government that they were
going to march to Rome and over throw the government
2. King Victor Emanuel II was warned and allowed Mussolini to
create a new government, with Mussolini as a prime minister, NO
VIOLANCE
3. Il Duce means Leader in Italian
4. Government controlled Economy, Industry, and Agriculture, but
still allowed capitalist trade, workers were not allowed to strike and
were paid less, Mussolini had created the first Totalitarian State that
other dictators followed
5. “Believe, Obey, Fight” Men were to work and fight for the good of
Italy, be ruthless and cruel to achieve goals for the state, women
were no longer allowed to have paying jobs, and were meant to
have children for Italy, children were taught, Mussolini was always
right, and about the glory of Italy and ancient Rome

11. Totalitarian Rule
1. Single party dictatorship
2. State control of the economy
3. Use of police spies and terror to enforce the will
of the state
4. Strict censorship and government monopoly of
the media
5. Use of schools and media to influence and
mobilize the masses
6. Unquestioning loyalty to one single leader

12. Fascism NOT SOCIALISM
• Describe Fascism:pg 456
1. What did fascism glorify?
2. Who were the fascists sworn enemy?
3. What are the core beliefs of all fascist
government?
4. Why did fascists reject enlightenment
ideals of democracy?

13. Fascism NOT Socialism
1. Glorify the state. People work for the good of
Italy
2. Fascists hate socialists and communists,
3. Core beliefs: Survival of the fittest, extreme
nationalism, violence, discipline, action, and
blind loyalty to the state, they will do anything
to make Italy better
4. Democracy leads to corruption, weakness in
government, and a focus on individual and class
goals, which takes away from the goals of the
state

14. Mussolini on the Move
• Describe Mussolini’s attempt to shake World
Peace in 1935: pg 468
1. For what reasons did Mussolini invade Ethiopia
in 1935?
2. How did this invasion show the weakness of the
League of Nations?
3. How was this invasions different from Italy's
invasion of Ethiopia in 1896?
4. Why did Mussolini’s invasion of Ethiopia
disrupt world peace?

15. Mussolini on the Move
1. Italy wanted to prove that they now had modern
technology and Mussolini wanted more territory, so he
first attacked Ethiopia for revenge of the Italian defeat
1896
2. The ruler of Ethiopia appealed to the League to stop
Mussolini, but the League had no power to enforce its
demand for Mussolini to stop.
3. Italy had modern weapons, like tanks, machine guns and
poison gas, it was an easy victory for Italy
4. Mussolini proved the League of Nations could not
prevent him from taking over any land he wanted, this
gave another dictator ideas…