MussoliniBenito Mussolini was a brilliant Socialist journalist who in 1914 declared war, put himself at the head if the anti-Socialist movement in Italy, manoeuvred himself into power by 1933 and ruled the country until overthrown in 1943. He was a dynamic but insecure personality, who appeared dictatorial but always had to share power with the military and bureaucratic establishment. Mussolini founded an Empire in Africa and tried to 'make Italians' in his own heroic, war like image, but in fact failed to even control his own family! In June 1940, when France fell, he could not resist joining in the Second World War on the German side, although Italy was not equipped for serious fighting. His rule ended in Military disaster and personal humiliation. This new biography focuses both on Mussolini's personality and on the way he exercised power, and regards these two issues as closely linked. It sees him as a man with all the talents needed to attain power but few of those needed to exercise it well. This book primarily focuses on how Mussolini had absolutely the wrong personality for a successful political leader. |
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... French Foreign Minister Laval went to Rome and signed a firm agreement ( the ' Rome Accords ' ) with Italy on arms , the Balkans and Africa , to strong British and Russian approval . The French handed over 110,000 sq km of desert on the ...
... French - Italian talks , but negotiations had failed in the summer . The French had British backing , and while they were willing to discuss Djibouti and the Ethiopian trade they saw no reason to make serious concessions to Italy ...
... French . Then he would sit at the peace conference , sharing out the booty with a respectful Hitler . On 18 June he went to Munich and agreed all this including the rewards with a very excited Führer , but it was clear that France was ...
Contents
At the Height of his Power? The Regime | 6 |
Early Years and the Great War 18831918 | 8 |
Manoeuvres to Power 191822 | 38 |
Copyright | |
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