Benito Mussolini

The Prime Minister of Italy (1922-1943)

Benito Mussolini

• Full name: Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini

• He and his supporters were fascists, or people who believed in authoritarian political ideology that forces a unity in a country such as religion, ethnic, race, etc. His fascism focused on the militarism and nationalism.

Seizure of PowerItaly’s situation

• Italy was not able to get much land at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference

• This encourage the Italian people to the rise of fascism in Italy.

• Democracy in Italy at the time was not working well.– Citizens were looking for a leader who would

be able to change Italy.

Seizure of PowerMussolini starts rising

• Benito Mussolini, who was a newspaper editor and a politician at the time, was trying to get the hold of the people’s support.

• His name gradually spread throughout the country.

• Mussolini’s private army wearing black shirts attacked his rival parties on the street and this action gave a terror to his opponents.

Seizure of PowerMussolini’s capture of power

• Due to Mussolini’s actions, the government started to break down.– Seeing this, Mussolini stood up and

became the savior.

• In October 1922, 30,000 fascists marched on Rome, threatening the King Victor Emmanuel III to give Mussolini the power.

• The king did not love the former liberal politicians, so he agreed to give Mussolini the power

His leadership

• Mussolini became Il Duce (ihl Doo-chay), meaning the leader.

• He enforced fascism throughout his country. – He forced all the other political parties to be illegal an

d he also got rid of the democracy. – His opponents were put to jail by his secret police. Th

e government took control of all the radio stations and all the other Medias to broadcast only the doctrines of the fascism.

What would the citizens of Italy think about the fascism that Mussolini is enforcing?

No freedom?Revolution?

Assassinate Mussolini?

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!

The most people supported Mussolini!!!

But how did Mussolini gain that much support…??

Government by Propaganda

• One of the reasons why Mussolini was able to gain supports from the people was the use of propaganda. – Propaganda = message such as posters made to

convince people’s mind, sometimes with lies

• Mussolini and his government controlled all the multi-medias including radio, press, newspaper and education to force people to think that fascism was the right and the best doctrine.

• Propaganda was also used to ensure the national spirit for the people in Italy and remind people how powerful Mussolini was.

Propaganda Posters

This is a propaganda convincing people to not spread any inside information

Propaganda Posters

The poster on the far right shows the slogan by Mussolini. It says,“Believe, Obey, Fight”. School taught these 3 discipline to the

students.

Propaganda Posters

Propaganda portraying Mussolini as a perfect man