Lesson 1 a – Italian Fascism

1. Lesson 1a– Italian Fascism Essential Question To what extent did Fascism influence foreign policy in the 1920s? Learning Outcomes - Students will: • Preview – What do I need to answer? • Learn about the problems in postwar Italy • Learn about Mussolini’s solutions to these problems Success Criteria • I can define fascism using examples from postwar Italy Leave space for 2lessons

2. Preview • To what extent did Fascism influence foreign policy in the 1920s? • What are the questions I have to answer? • What does “To what extent” mean?

3. Vocab • “To what extent” • Fascism • Fiume Affair • Benito Mussolini • bienniorosso • squadred’azione • March on Rome

4. Fascism Ideology • When Mussolini came to power until 1925, it was “more a political action party seeking an ideology” James B. Whisker • Therefore, more pragmatic group that can adjust to different situations • Ex. Communism – Ideology is already created, therefore forced to follow its ideas, as opposed to creating their own

5. Postwar Italy Who is to blame for all this? • Factors • Returning unemployed soldiers • PartitoSocialistaItaliano(PSI) – Because of “total war,” Italian industrial workers grew, as did trade unions • After the war, unemployment rose to 2 million (1919) leading to the bienniorosso(‘Red Years’) • Gov’t pushed capitalists to accept labours demands • WW1– Polarized the country, with those who criticized the mismanagement of the gov’t (600,000 killed) as well as the failure of the Treaty of Versailles to gain the land outlined in the Treaty of London (1915) • Fiume Affair (1919) – in protest to the T of V, 2000 Italian soldiers occupy Fiume and didn’t leave until the PM was replaced

6. Enter Mussolini • Problems • Returning Soldiers – Mussolini, as member of the Arditi(‘Daring Ones’) attempted to merge all the right-wing groups forming Fascio di Combattimento • By 1919, 70 towns in Italy had these groups, but they were not very strong, winning zero seats in the Nov. 1919 elections • United by their hatred for weak, liberal gov’t • PSI – Mussolini offered to send squadred’azioneto violently aid the industrialists in the North break the strikers • Industrialists and landowners saw the Fascists fighting against the socialists • 1921 – squadred’azionekilled 100 socialists • 1920 – socialists won control of 26 of 69 provinces (N and C Italy) • 1921 – socialists are the largest party with 123 seats • United in their fear of socialism

7. Enter Mussolini • Problems • Weak Government – May ’21~ Oct ’22, 3 weak coalition gov’ts ruled • March on Rome (Oct ’22) – 40,000 Blackshirts marched on Rome to seize power, but were stopped by 400 policemen at the train station • PM wished to declare a state of emergency, but King Victor Emmanule refused; he resigns and the King names Mussolini PM, even though he only had 35 seats (7%) in parliament

8. What is Fascism? • From the events leading to Mussolini’s rise to power, what is fascism? • Ex. How did he come to power? Was he elected? What does this show about democracy? • Ex. Who are the enemies? • Ex. Why did the industrialists support them? • Ex. Why was Italy upset after WW1? • What is Fascism? • Anti-democratic – do not respect democratic institutions, such as Parliament, other political parties, etc… • Anti-communist - 1921 – squadred’azionekilled 100 socialists • Militant/Use of violence - squadred’azione, Blackshirts • Nationalistic/Pride in the state – Fiume Affair

9. Lesson 1b – Italian Fascism Essential Question To what extent did Fascism influence foreign policy in the 1920s? Learning Outcomes - Students will: • Preview – What is Fascism? • Learn about Mussolini’s economic policy • Find out if he achieved his Foreign policy goals in the 1920s Success Criteria • I can create my outline to answer the essential question Leave space for 2lessons

10. Preview • What is Fascism? • Do you think it sounds like a good idea for Postwar Italy?

11. vocab • Acerbo Law • Corfu incident • Corporate State • Battle of Wheat • Stresa Front

12. Consolidate Power Why did Mussolini not stand up to Britain as he did Greece? • Acerbo Law (July ‘23) – using intimidation, Mussolini passed a law that would give 2/3 of seats in parliament to the party that won the most votes • Now he needed to win • Corfu incident (Aug ’23) – an Italian general is murdered in Greece • Mussolini demanded an apology and 50 mil lire from the Greek gov’t, who refused as they were not responsible • Mussolini invaded the Greek island of Corfu, ignoring warnings from the League of Nations • Greece paid the fine making Mussolini and national hero and easily winning the election • No apology and were forced to leave the island afterwards due to British pressure

13. Foreign Policy • Goals

14. Economic Policy • To implement his foreign policy, Mussolini needed to make sure he had the support of the Italian population • 1st priority – fix the economy • Corporate State – bring employees and employers under one confederation, supervised by the state • 1934 – 22 corporations were established • employees were forbidden to strike and always lost appeals for raises • Battle of Wheat – goal was to make Italy self-sufficient agriculturally • Wheat production did increase • Would have been cheaper importing from the US • Land used for wheat would have been better suited growing olives or fruits, which resulted in an overall decrease in agricultural production Did Mussolini fix the economy? Do you think he admitted this? What did he do instead?

15. What is Fascism? • From the events leading to Mussolini’s rise to power, what is fascism? • Ex. What type of gov’t should lead? • Ex. What was the Fascist solution to economic problems? • What is Fascism? • Anti-democratic – do not respect democratic institutions, such as Parliament, other political parties, etc… • Anti-communist - 1921 – squadred’azionekilled 100 socialists • Militant/Use of violence - squadred’azione, Blackshirts • Nationalistic/Pride in the state – Fiume Affair • Authoritarian leadership - Acerbo Law & Matteotti Crisis • State control benefiting businesses – Corporate State

16. Foreign Policy act • Diplomacy • 1924 – Pact of Rome: Yugoslavia accepts Italian occupation of Fiume • 1925 – Locarno Treaty: European powers, including Italy, recognize the current borders of Europe • 1926 – Britain and France give Italian colonies parts of Egypt and Kenya • Aggression/Seeking Allies • 1929 – gave aid to an Albanian chieftain, who proclaimed himself king • Gave secret support to extreme nationalists groups in Germany, Bulgaria, Austria and Hungary

17. Foreign Policy • Goals

18. Preview • To what extent did Fascism influence foreign policy in the 1920s? • What are the questions I have to answer? • What does “To what extent” mean? • What will you include in your paragraph • 1. • 2. • 3. • “To what extent” • Was fascism the only thing that influenced foreign policy or were there other factors?