Italian statesman. Originating in a modest family of Romagna, Benito Mussolini follows a training of teacher (1901), then emigrates in Switzerland, where he exerts various trades (mason, translator, journalist). He adheres since 1900 to the Italian Socialist party.
In 1912, it is imprisoned to have organized a strike against the war of Tripolitaine, released it reaches the rank of editor-in-chief of the newspaper of the party, Avanti, posts that it leaves in 1914 to found its own newspaper, It Popolo d' Italia, which preaches the Italian intervention at the sides of the Triple Entente. During the First World War, Benito Mussolini is useful during the bersaglieri, infantry of elite, time during which it gives up his socialist ideas.
Birth of the fascistic movement In 1919, Benito Mussolini, worried by economic chaos in which is inserted Italy, bases the Beams of combat and the fascistic movement while resting on his friendships tied in the army. The squadristi, paramilitary groups resulting from the Beams, pursue soon illegally, but in all impunity, strikers, trade unionists, Socialists and democrats, that Mussolini makes responsible for the situation of its country. Supported at the same time by some large industrialists, the middle-classes confronted with the multiplication of the disorders and by the great mass of the unemployed, he is elected, in 1921, appointed, at the same time as 31 of his close relations. In November 1921, it creates the fascistic national Party and, in August 1922, the squadristi break a general strike. Mussolini then starts a “walk on Rome” with its partisans. On October 29th, 1922, the king appoints it Prime Minister. The exercise of the power
Benefitting from its popularity and being based on unquestionable oratories qualities, Mussolini manages one month later to be made grant the full powers by the Room (November 25th, 1922). In 1924, the assassination of the socialist leader Matteotti is a prelude to with the introduction of a dictatorship (1925).
Beginning again in tonality new name of Duce, (the “chief”), which had been given to him in the years 1911-1914 by his/her comrades in the action anticolonialist and antimilitarist, it then implements a political program based on its doctrines antilibérale, antidemocratic and antisocialist, by founding in Italy a totalitarian State and supporter of corporatism. It reconciles then Italy with the Holy See by signing the agreements of Lateran (1929). Seeking to give to Italy a vast colonial empire on the model of ancient Rome, it launches its troops to the conquest of Ethiopia (1935-1936). Initially condescending with regard to Hitler, hostile with the annexation of Austria by Germany (it masses troops on Brenner in 1934 after the assassination of the Dollfuss chancellor), it approaches Führer, when Great Britain and France condemn its African annexations. It gives its support for the pro-Franco troops during the civil war to Spain (1936-1939).
In 1936, Mussolini binds the destiny of fascistic Italy to that of the Nazi Germany, by the treaty of Berlin known under the name of Axe Rome-Berlin (October 15th, 1936), whose object is the fight against the Bolchevism.
The fall of Mussolini
In spite of the reserves of its entourage, which sees of an evil eye the entry of Italy in the Second world war at the sides of Germany, Mussolini attacks and occupies Albania in 1939, declares the war in France in June 1940, but, since 1941, starts on all fronts to wipe a series of military setbacks, of which that of Libya, Italian colony since 1912, and especially in its countryside against Greece, and Hitler must come to his rescue. The succession of failures which know the Italian armies seriously starts the prestige of Duce, which passes more and more for a simple auxiliary of Hitler. Thus, on on July 25th, 1943, the Great fascistic Council relieves it in order to start peace negotiations with the Allies. Imprisoned in Gran Sasso, Benito Mussolini is released by a commando of German parachutists directed by Otto Skorzeng. He bases in September 1943 the transitory Italian Social republic, whose capital is in Salo, on Lake Garda. He then makes carry out the fascistic chiefs who reversed it (of which his/her son-in-law, the count Ciano). In April 1945, during an attempt at passage in Switzerland, it is captured by partisans with his Clara Petacci mistress. Carried out on on April 28th, their corpses will be displayed on a place of Milan.