Italian totalitarianism was in many ways a direct result of the war and the
peace treaties. Although Italy was on the winning side, it did not get the land
along the Adriatic coast it had hoped to obtain from the division of
Austria-Hungary. "Added to the frustration, the postwar economic depression made
it difficult for returning veterans to find jobs, a communist movement was
growing and the government seemed weak and inept." (Blum, 1998, p. 46 ). It was during this
period that Benito Mussolini walked onto the world stage. In 1919, Mussolini
founded the Fascia di Combattimento, or Fascist Party, a right-wing organization
that trumpeted nationalism and promised to make Italy great again. Followers of
Mussolini, known as Black Shirts, fought in the streets against socialists and
communists. Fearing a revolution, in 1922, Italian King Victor Emmanuel III
asked Mussolini to form a government. Calling himself Il Duce or "the leader",
Mussolini consolidated his power over the government and the army within a few
years. He outlawed political parties, took over the press, created a secret
police, organized youth groups to indoctrinate the young and suppressed worker's
strikes. He opposed liberalism and socialism. His grip on Italy became as strong
as Stalin's power-hold over the Soviet Union
peace treaties. Although Italy was on the winning side, it did not get the land
along the Adriatic coast it had hoped to obtain from the division of
Austria-Hungary. "Added to the frustration, the postwar economic depression made
it difficult for returning veterans to find jobs, a communist movement was
growing and the government seemed weak and inept." (Blum, 1998, p. 46 ). It was during this
period that Benito Mussolini walked onto the world stage. In 1919, Mussolini
founded the Fascia di Combattimento, or Fascist Party, a right-wing organization
that trumpeted nationalism and promised to make Italy great again. Followers of
Mussolini, known as Black Shirts, fought in the streets against socialists and
communists. Fearing a revolution, in 1922, Italian King Victor Emmanuel III
asked Mussolini to form a government. Calling himself Il Duce or "the leader",
Mussolini consolidated his power over the government and the army within a few
years. He outlawed political parties, took over the press, created a secret
police, organized youth groups to indoctrinate the young and suppressed worker's
strikes. He opposed liberalism and socialism. His grip on Italy became as strong
as Stalin's power-hold over the Soviet Union