ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the rise and fall of Mussolini and fascism in Italy between 1918 and 1945. It examines the many policies that he pursued during this period Mussolini established a full personal dictatorship. In 1861 the Kingdom of Italy was formally proclaimed, to which Venetia was added after the defeat of Austria in the war with Prussia in 1866. King Victor Emmanuel III gave way before the threat of a fascist ‘March on Rome’ and invited Mussolini to form a coalition government as Italy’s Prime Minister. The papacy had been antagonistic to every Italian government since unification. This was largely because unification had cost the pope his political status and also his secular rule in central Italy. German replacements were sent by Hitler to recapture the Balkans and North Africa and Italy had become little more than a German satellite.
