Key Events #2
Italian involvement in WWI:
Italy was initially neutral in WW1, and it took until a secret meeting on the 26th April 1915, resulting in the Treaty of London, for them to enter the war on the Allies' side. Fighting took place between Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces on Italy's northern border. Of the 5.2 million Italians who served in the war, over 420,000 men were killed.
Mussolini’s expulsion from Socialists:
Benito Mussolini was born into a family that was supportive of socialism; his father was a staunch socialist who heavily influenced Mussolini's early political views. Mussolini travelled to Switzerland at 19, where he began working for the socialist newspaper 'L'Avvenire del Lavoratore' (The Worker's Future). His involvement
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He worked his heritage to gain the confidence and trust of the working classes, but he once told the reporter Clare Sheridan off the record that 'The working classes are stupid, dirty, lazy and only need the cinema. They must be taken care of and learn to obey.' Although seeming to not be fully satisfied with those who made up many his followers, Mussolini was quite dedicated to his beliefs, particularly those of fascism itself. He wrote 'The Doctrine of Fascism' in 1932, in which he eloquently laid out the philosophy behind fascism. In doing so, he demonstrated his beliefs. Another notable aspect of his political views was his nationalism. He famously said that 'We become strongest, I feel, when we have no friends upon whom to lean, or to look for moral guidance', referring to the support afforded to Italy through alliances. On a more personal note, Mussolini was both paranoid and protective, as Clara Petacci, his mistress, wrote in her diary. He spied on his mistress to ensure that 'Your precious little body shall only tremble for me,', and referred to himself while talking to her as 'your giant'. This overbearing and controlling personality is reflected in his actions, such as the attacks on fellow students during his time at school, resulting in his expulsion from two separate