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. |
From inside the book
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... vote on 26 June voted for continuing government ' pacification ' by 225 votes to 21 ; even Benedetto Croce voted in favour . The great and the good had backed the Duce , much to his relief – he later wrote that the Senate vote had been ...
... vote ; and it is worth recording that several famous non - Fascists , including Benedetto Croce ( who had turned up to vote against the Lateran Pacts in 1929 ) , De Nicola and Albertini , simply absented themselves from this vote . The ...
... vote of all . It was a com- plete surrender , although Mussolini learned later that overnight one of the 19 , the syndicalist leader Tullio Cianetti , had changed his mind and rescinded his vote , an act that saved his life in a few ...
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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