With so much at stake, a strong man must not be hampered by an archaic constitution that unreasonably limits his power.
If a constitution makes it difficult for a strong man to appoint his cronies to high positions, he should disregard the constitution and appoint them anyway — challenge adversaries to stop him! Similarly, a strong man should disregard laws or judicial decisions that interfere with his ability to carry out his program. A strong man must follow the command of his conscience to make a power grab.
Political leaders must be willing to play hardball. Not a day goes by that we do not feel in Italian life how much good has been wrought by these measures against the forces of disintegration, disorder and disloyalty. Monthly payments are better than a lump sum, since monthly payments encourage dependence. He subsidized friendly newspapers, providing paychecks for many journalists. They will become dependent on continued special favors. Seduce the media.
Journalists tend to be wowed by power, they love to be flattered, they enjoy writing about colorful personalities and dramatic spectacles. Mussolini organized the October March on Rome, when tens of thousands of fascists gathered in major cities and moved toward the capital. This intimidated King Victor Emmanuel who decided that the least bad option was to avoid a violent coup by asking Mussolini to form a government. After he did that, he began to consolidate his power.
His regime produced a bewildering number of parades, ornate uniforms, photo opps and mass gatherings. Public works construction proceeded apace all over Italy — some bridges, 4, miles of roads and grandiose buildings for fascist party offices, post offices and sports arenas. Be humble. Truth be told, Mussolini was never very humble, but he pretended.
That was better than nothing. I obeyed the positive command of my conscience, not any opportunism. That same year, Italy and Germany signed a military alliance known as the "Pact of Steel. Influenced by Hitler, Mussolini instituted discrimination policies against the Jews in Italy.
In , Italy invaded Greece with some initial success. Hitler's invasion of Poland and declaration of war with Britain and France forced Italy into war, however, and exposed weaknesses in its military. Greece and North Africa soon fell, and only German military intervention in early saved Mussolini from a military coup.
Roosevelt devised a plan to take Italy out of the war and force Germany to move its troops to the Eastern Front against the Soviet Union.
Allied forces secured a beachhead in Sicily and began marching up the Italian peninsula. With pressure mounting, Mussolini was forced to resign on July 25, , and was arrested; German commandos later rescued him. Mussolini then moved his government to northern Italy, hoping to regain his influence. On June 4, , Rome was liberated by Allied forces, who marched on to take control of Italy. Mussolini and his mistress, Claretta Petacci, were executed on April 28, , in Mezzegra near Dongo , Italy, and their bodies were hung on display in a Milan plaza.
Following the liberation of Rome by Allied forces, the pair had attempted to escape to Switzerland but were captured by the Italian underground on April 27, The Italian masses greeted Mussolini's death without regret. Mussolini had promised his people Roman glory, but his megalomania had overcome his common sense, bringing them only war and misery. We strive for accuracy and fairness.
If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. Adolf Hitler was the leader of Nazi Germany. His fascist agenda led to World War II and the deaths of at least 11 million people, including some six million Jews. Italian Jewish chemist Primo Levi survived a year at Auschwitz against all odds.
Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal led the nation through the Great Depression. He was installed as the leader of a new government, but had little power. As the Allies advanced northwards through Italy, Mussolini fled towards Switzerland.
He was captured by Italian partisans and shot on 28 April Search term:. Read more. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets CSS enabled.
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