Benito+Amilcare+Andrea+Mussolini


 * Introduction**[[image:http://essenceoffascism.weebly.com/uploads/2/6/9/3/26938347/5929827_orig.jpg width="283" height="369" align="right" caption="Benito Mussolini using propaganda to persuade the people of Italy." link="@http://essenceoffascism.weebly.com/benito-mussolini.html"]]

“The Fascist State… is a wish for power and domination” (Hottelet). Many years ago, European countries didn't have a republic, which meant that any individual person could become a ruler or dictator. And those who do become a dictator, didn’t just become one from out of nowhere, they had to contribute to their country. Throughout dictatorship, there might have been some mistakes made, and sometimes some of those mistakes might end up being their own fall (Brayton). Benito Mussolini was Italy’s Fascist dictator but even he too didn't stay in power and control forever (Duff y).


 * Personal Background**

Benito Mussolini was named after a prominent social leader due to his father's political inclinations. Mussolini worked as a teacher before moving to Switzerland to avoid military service. He was a dedicated supporter of the war (Brayton). Mussolini had a thirst for military glory. Benito abandoned his party to support Italian intervention in World War I (Cowley).

Mussolini, being an air-power enthusiast, created an innovative, Fascist-minded air force (Cowley). For 23 years, Mussolini was Italy's Fascist dictator from 1922-1945. Mussolini was born as the son of a blacksmith. During World War I, Mussolini served on the Italian Front (Duffy). Mussolini started out as a revolutionary socialist (Hottelet).

Mussolini easily graduated from secondary school with distinction (Hottelet). The highest education that Mussolini reached was a secondary high school diploma (O'Neill). Mussolini received his strength from his dad, a blacksmith, and his love and tenderness from his mom, a school teacher (Simkin).


 * Personality Traits**

When Benito Mussolini was a student in school, he was very disruptive but also intelligent. He had an excellent sense of readership and had a talent for a great writer. Over time, he also developed beliefs that were similar to his father (Brayton). Mussolini pursued imperial dreams with politically, strategically, and d octrinally incoherent forces. In his early days of dictatorship, Mussolini lacked understand and power to solve problems in his new army (Cowley).

Mussolini contained acute intelligence, psychological acumen, and political shrewdness (Cowley). Mussolini had extreme right-wing views and wanted to change the entire government into something different. Mussolini turned to political agitation to do this. Mussolini also believed that support for the Allies would serve to boost Italy’s claim to recover lost Austro-Hungarian territory (Duffy). “The real Mussolini was an opportunist” (Hottelet).

Mussolini was very coarse, tough, and highly intelligent. Mussolini, unlike many other people, was comfortable with brutality. In spite of his roughness, Mussolini did love Verdi’s music and eventually learned to play the violin, which was one of his only forms or relaxation (Hottelet). Mussolini also had this very bad habit of drinking, womanizing, and a bullying behavior. Mussolini ruled with a heavy hand, inflicting violence torture, and death on people who oppose or question his authority (O’Neill).


 * Obstacles**

Benito Mussolini was caught and deported back to Italy and had to serve two years in the Army. The Socialist Party disapproved of Italian intervention when World War I began thus potentially causing trouble for the Italian dictator: Benito Mussolini. Mussolini eventually got ejected from the party because of his support of the war (Brayton). While Mussolini was enjoying his military adventures, his armed forces were left exhausted and worn out (Cowley). This shows that he is very ignorant about things and this can cause mayhem among his army, maybe even causing them to die or not be able to fight.

As a whole, all the Italian forces were plagued with national poverty, resource deficiencies, and scientific-industrial weakness. Mussolini’s joint plan for the new army was crippled by bitter inter service rivalry (Cowley). Benito resigned from Italian Socialist Party over their declared opposition to war against Austria- Hungary. The party that Mussolini was in charge of favored neutrality while Mussolini was on the opposite page. The famous Italian dictator’s fascist regime ultimately collapsed in 1945 (Duffy).

When he was bu sy fighting Ethiopia, he spent an entire year’s worth of national income on it but it ended up not benefiting him a single bit at all. In the Spanish Civil War, Mussolini helped General Fransisco Franco but cost Italy a sum of resources and money (O’Neill). Mussolini agitated against Italy’s participation on either side of Germany and Austria. He entered the army, aware that he would otherwise have to spend his life in exile. To make his mark on the Socialist scene, he had to endure two years of penury and menial labor (Hottelet).


 * Historical Significance**

Benito Mussolini was very well-known as Il Duce, Italy’s Fascist dictator. Throughout Mussolini’s life, he has accomplished many things, some historically important and others not so much. He has also contributed a lot for his country as a sense of nationalism and power. Benito Mussolini is significant because he was the principal theorist of Fascism and the first to establish a Fascist state. While his Fascism was uniquely Italian, he created general principles that would be imitated by others such as Hitler.

 His conversion of Italy into a Fascist state was also significant in its attacks on civil and political rights. Benito Mussolini was significant for his invasions of Ethiopia, Albania, and for prompting the Axis invasion of Greece. Mussolini was also notable for bringing his country, Italy, back into the Axis alliance as well (Simkin). The paramilitary Fascist movement in 1919-1921 was forged by none other than Benito Mussolini himself. He had been an elected member of the Italian Parliament, but his fealty to democratic processes ended there. Benito was considered one of the country’s foremost socialists at the time (Brayton).

Mussolini was originally a revolutionary socialist. Avanti! was the Socialist Party newspaper that Mussolini became an editor of. Italy was made predominant in the region under Mussolini’s rule (Cowley). Having carved an unequal alliance with Adolf Hitler’s Germany, Mussolini led Italy for much of the Second World War. While out of fighting, Mussolini remained in favour of continued Italian participation in war and advocated suppression of those who espoused anti-war rhetoric (Duffy).

Mussolini lead a march on Rome and successfully unestablished the government (Duffy). Benito traveled to Switzerland to meet Swiss and foreign socialists. He wrote articles for Socialist publications and sometimes joined in strikes. Mussolini declared himself dictator and had long ago made peace with the King,whom was made the King of Albania and Emperor of Ethiopia, and the Army (Hottelet). Il Popolo, another newspaper, was also founded by Mussolini (O’Neill).

Mussolini became Prime minister when he declared Fascist “blackshirts” would move to Rome. His government was the first Italian ever to officially be recognized by church (O’Neill). Mussolini was often very active in the Socialist movements (Simkin). In short, Mussolini's historical significance resides in his role as an early proponent of fascism. His visions for Italy and the world helped to bring about the most devastating conflict in world history.


 * References**

"Benito Mussolini." //Fascism//. Web. 2 Apr. 2015<@http://essenceoffascism.weebly.com/benito-mussolini.html>.

Brayton, Rebecca. "Benito Mussolini: Biography of Fascist Italy's Dictator." //Mojo Supreme//. 2014. //Watch Mojo.// Web. 7 November, 2014. **SE#4**

Crowley, Robert. Parker, Geoffrey. //The Reader's Companion to Military History.// New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1996. Print. **SE#2**

Duffy, Michael. "Who's who-Benito Mussolini." //firstworldwar.com.// Michael Duffy//,// 22 August 2009. Web. 19 November 2014. **SE#5**

Hottelet, Richard C. "Mussolini: A Biography.(Review)." New Leader. 14 Dec. 1998: 7(1). eLibrary. Web. 16 October 2014. **SE#3**

O'Neill, William L. //World War II: A Student Companion.// New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Print. **SE#1**

Simkin, John. "Benito Mussolini." //Spartacus Educational////.// Spartacus Educational Publishers, 1 September, 1997. Web. 12 December, 2014. **SE#6**