World War II: Mussolini’s Rise to Power
Benito Mussolini was the fierce leader of the National Fascist Party and was one of the key figures resulting in the rise of Fascism in Italy. During his life he managed to turn the once Democratic country of Italy into one ruled as a Dictatorship which he himself commanded. His eventual goal was to restore Rome’s former glory by becoming a powerful ruler akin to Julius Ceasar, but he didn’t get very far. Mussolini died in April 28 1945 at the age of 60, executed by gunfire by a group of partisans opposing his rule that managed to capture him. It is accepted that Benito Mussolini was a man with strong ambitions that didn’t have the support or the power from both his army and his political influence to make his dreams become a reality.
Before he had any power, Mussolini was a World War One rifleman, and was shocked at the state of his country when he returned from duty. His nation’s economy was a mess - unemployment and rioting were extremely common and food was scarce, resulting in a very discontent, unhappy population. Mussolini exploited these feelings of resentment for the current liberal governing body of Italy - which he blamed for the problems, promising a happier, more stable
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A large factor contributing to the success of a politician is their charisma - their ability to be liked. Mussolini was famous for his ability to capture a crowd’s attention thanks to his previous experience as a soldier in World War One which many thought as courageous, plus his speeches structure and delivery which were often extremely emotional and one-sided. Thanks to the emotion he displayed in his speeches Mussolini managed to easily humanize himself, separating himself from the rest of the political crowd which often distanced emotion and other human qualities from their public figure. This tactic was one of the most contributing factors leading to Mussolini’s success in rising to