Benito Mussolini Research Paper

Benito Mussolini was an Italian dictator destined to be shot and hanged by the knees for all to see. Benito Mussolini fostered a new party called the Fascist Party by preying on the fears of the Italian people to gain followers, while at the same time building alliances with the leaders of other countries to bolster power. His greed for a Caesarean empire and dominance over European countries blinded him and led to his destruction. His focus and mistreatment of his followers caused them to despise his rule. Benito Mussolini’s megalomania, a condition characterized by fantasies of omnipotence and by inflated self-esteem, led to the corruption of Italy and the downfall of his empire. His main platform through Fascism and dictatorship led to the

As prime minister, he stifled the free press, swayed the government in his favor, and controlled the military’s actions. It was not until 1925 Mussolini officially declared himself the dictator of Italy (Greenspan). During this period, Italy’s economy faced an enormous war debt. Inflation and shortages of goods and supplies played a major issue in the downturned economy and the unrest of the public. Troops from World War I raised the number of the unemployed and this was the atmosphere that hatched Mussolini’s fascist movement (Keefe). After becoming allies with Hitler, Mussolini was fixated on expanding his empire; to the extent his forces struggled to maintain control (Biography). He appealed to the people’s fears and promised empty solutions that would make Italy a world power. While coming to power as a ruthless dictator, his blind greed led to discontent among his people and the ultimate downfall of his

His success in Ethiopia sparked interest in another dictator in Europe, Adolf Hitler (Ryan). The two men had many similarities: both oppressive right-wing dictators who rose to power in related conditions, fought together as allies in WWII, and shared a similar ideologies. The Spanish Civil War, however, solidified Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy as true allies. Mussolini initiated the creation of the 'Rome-Berlin Axis' to forge a common foreign policy. In this agreement, Hitler agreed the Mediterranean should be under Italian rule. In return, Mussolini accepted Germany should have the control over Central and Eastern Europe territories. Mussolini later made a speech, to justify these actions in Milan on November 1, 1936, stating that 'One great country has recently gathered a vast amount of sympathy among the Italian people; I speak of Germany … This vertical line between Rome and Berlin is not a partition, but rather an axis around which all the European states animated by the will to collaboration and peace can also collaborate.' The alliance with Hitler and Germany protected Italy's bearings in Europe and allowed Mussolini to begin invading other countries. In 1939, Mussolini signed the Pact of Steel, which committed Italy to joining WWII alongside Germany