Italian Empire: Difference between revisions

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=== Great War ===

It all began with the Great War. With the start of the war in 1914, Italy was immediately divided between pro and anti war forces in politics, as Italy remained on the sidelines for a year since the government at the time was led by the anti-war government of Giovanni Giolitti. Among the "interventionists" was the young Socialist journalist Benito Mussolini, who for violent accusations against major politicians and his general riotous attitude in favor of the war, the majority anti-war PSI kicked Mussolini out of the party. But we'll return to Mussolini later.

[[File:Mussolini arresto comizio 1915.jpg|thumb|210x210px|Mussolini is arrested in 1915 for participating in an interventionist riot]]

[[File:Mussolini arresto comizio 1915.jpg|thumb|left|210x210px|Mussolini is arrested in 1915 for participating in an interventionist riot]]

Returning to the war, with the ascent of Antonio Salandra's government, and under the impression the war would be quick, and especially after being promised large swathes of land, such as South Tyrol, Venezia-Giulia, Istria and Dalmatia by the British and French, in the spirit of what Salandra called "sacred egoism" on the 23rd of May, 1915, Italy would declare war on Austria-Hungary.

[[File:9nzeszmhksl91.png|thumb|Territorial concessions promised to Italy in the Pact of London]]

Italy's experience in the Great War was terrible to say the least. Far from a quick victory as they expected, not only was the "Regio Esercito" outdated and with insufficient resources for modern weaponry, it was also commanded by the infamously incompetent General Luigi Cadorna, who would lead young Italians into suicidal charges against the Austrian defenses, most infamously at the 12 Battles of the Isonzo River. The constant fighting in the mountains would scar a generation of Italians. Then, in 1917, with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Germany defeated Russia and then proceeded to reinforce the Austrians, while sending a majority of their troops to the Western Front. Due to the utter exhaustion of troops on the Italian side, led to the embarrassing defeat at Caporetto, where the Italians would be pushed back all the way to the Piave River, where, under the command of newly appointed General Armando Diaz, they would desperately defend the front. After that, the momentum of the advance was stopped, as the Italians would soon be reinforced by the French and British, plus more modern equipment from factories, and finally defeated the Austrians at Vittorio Veneto.

Italy's experience in the Great War was terrible to say the least. Far from a quick victory as they expected, not only was the "Regio Esercito" outdated and with insufficient resources for modern weaponry, it was also commanded by the infamously incompetent General Luigi Cadorna, who would lead young Italians into suicidal charges against the Austrian defenses, most infamously at the 12 Battles of the Isonzo River. The constant fighting in the mountains would scar a generation of Italians. Then, in 1917, with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Germany defeated Russia and then proceeded to reinforce the Austrians, while sending a majority of their troops to the Western Front. Due to the utter exhaustion of troops on the Italian side, led to the embarrassing defeat at Caporetto, where the Italians would be pushed back all the way to the Piave River, where, under the command of newly appointed General Armando Diaz, they would desperately defend the front.

[[File:Su-gli-argini-del-piave.jpg|thumb|left|Propaganda poster of the defense of the Piave]]

After that, the momentum of the advance was stopped, as the Italians would soon be reinforced by the French and British, plus more modern equipment from factories, and finally defeated the Austrians at Vittorio Veneto.

=== Post-War ===

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Following Vittorio Veneto, Italy would continue advancing through the territories it claimed, seizing South Tyrol, Venezia Giulia and Trieste. Problems though, quickly arose on the exact borders, as tensions began to rise between with the nascent Kingdom of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs, since both claimed Istria and Dalmatia. When the government began negotiations however, it did not sit well with many irredentist Italians, as the government was signing off territory they claimed as theirs. In the midst of this, legendary poet Gabriele d'Annunzio marched a large contingent of Arditi and idealists of his caliber to seize Fiume (in Croatian Rijeka) and declared the Italian Regency of the Carnaro.

[[File:Foto Fiume.jpg|thumb|D'Annunzio at Fiume]]

[[File:1024px-Labaro Reggenza Italiana del Carnaro.svg.png|thumb|Flag of the Italian Regency of the Carnaro]]

[[File:1024px-Labaro Reggenza Italiana del Carnaro.svg.png|thumb|left|Flag of the Italian Regency of the Carnaro]]

What became known as the Fiume incident shook Italia politics to its very core, as P.M.'s Francesco Nitti's Radical government fell apart, while the crippling debt and unemployed soldiers were putting the country in a precarious situation. Even if the whole incident would last only a few months, before the 1920 Treaty of Rapallo, between Italy and the Kingdom of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs, settling the borders and giving Istria to Italy, while Dalmatia would go the soon to be Iugoslavians, and Fiume would become a free city within the Kingdom of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs.

[[File:Litorale 1.png|thumb|The new borders settled by the Treaty of Rapallo]]

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==== The Red Biennium and the Rise of the Blackshirts ====

Mussolini's major support, though, came from the Milanese bourgeoisie, who were terrified of the rise of communism in the country. As mentioned before, Italy was in a pitiful state after the Great War, and the populace was furious with the political establishment and while some turned to Mussolini, others turned to communism, as the Russian Revolution spurred on a wave of proletarian movements, especially in the North, which would culminate in the separation of the more radical members of the PSI and the creation of the Italian Communist Party or PCI at a conference in Livorno, in 1921.

[[File:Flag of the Italian Communist Party.svg.png|thumb|Flag of the PCI]]

[[File:Flag of the Italian Communist Party.svg.png|thumb|left|Flag of the PCI]]

This time period would go down in popular history as "Il Biennio Rosso" or "The Red Biennium" where on many occasions there was a genuine fear of communist revolution in Italy. Mussolini, in response to the growth of communist street gangs, created his own group, the "~~squadristi~~", but they are better known in reference to their iconic black attire, the "Blackshirts". The "blackshirts" would become an essential tool used by Mussolini and factory owners who were members of the PNF. Some iconic examples are, the repression of the general worker's strike at thew Alfa Romeo factory in August, 1920 or the repression of Socialist movements, in the Po Valley following the murder of Bolognese councilor Giulio Giordani. In 1920, when the socialists won many local elections, the Blackshirts responded brutally, dissolving trade unions under the threat of "physical destruction". The Fasci ~~would join Gioltti's anti-socialist National Blocs coalition in the 1921 general election and would succeed in securing 35 seats in parliament, one of which was held by Mussolini himself~~. After a few weeks, Mussolini dissolved his alliance with Giolitti's Liberal Party (PLI), who then failed to dissolve the "Blackshirts", and Mussolini would sign the "Pact of Pactification" with the Socialists in the summer of that year. That too however, would be dissolved at the Third Fascist on the 7th to 10th of November 1921, where Mussolini would fully espouse his views, declaring a new ideology, fascism and renaming the party to the National Fascist Party, which now counted 320,000 members. In August, 1922, a socialist led anti-fascist general strike was held throughout the country.

This time period would go down in popular history as "Il Biennio Rosso" or "The Red Biennium" where on many occasions there was a genuine fear of communist revolution in Italy. Mussolini, in response to the growth of communist street gangs, created his own group, the "squadre d'azione"", but they are better known in reference to their iconic black attire, the "Blackshirts". The "blackshirts" would become an essential tool used by Mussolini and factory owners who were members of the Fasci.

[[File:~~Flag~~ of ~~the~~ ~~National~~ ~~Fascist Party (PNF).svg~~.~~png~~|thumb|~~Flag~~ of ~~the~~ ~~PNF~~]]

[[File:Squadra d'azione Disperata di Firenze.jpg|thumb|Squadra d'Azione "Disperata" (Firenze)]]

Some iconic examples are, the repression of the general worker's strike at thew Alfa Romeo factory in August, 1920 or the repression of Socialist movements, in the Po Valley following the murder of Bolognese councilor Giulio Giordani. In 1920, when the socialists won many local elections, the Blackshirts responded brutally, dissolving trade unions under the threat of "physical destruction". The Fasci would join Gioltti's anti-socialist National Blocs coalition in the 1921 general election and would succeed in securing 35 seats in parliament, one of which was held by Mussolini himself. After a few weeks, Mussolini dissolved his alliance with Giolitti's Liberal Party (PLI), who then failed to dissolve the "Blackshirts", and Mussolini would sign the "Pact of Pactification" with the Socialists in the summer of that year. That too however, would be dissolved at the Third Fascist on the 7th to 10th of November 1921, where Mussolini would fully espouse his views, declaring a new ideology, fascism and renaming the party to the National Fascist Party, which now counted 320,000 members. In August, 1922, a socialist led anti-fascist general strike was held throughout the country.

[[File:Flag of the National Fascist Party (PNF).svg.png|thumb|left|Flag of the PNF]]

Mussolini declared that his men would immediately intervene, in such a way that his party would be viewed as the defender of law and order. The "blackshirts" began in Ancona, on August the 2nd, where they would fiercely repress the strikers, proceeding through each striking city, including Genova. On August 3rd and 4th, the PNF thugs captured Milan, burning the iconic Socialist newspaper "Avanti!" and overthrowing, alongside local business owners, they would remove the socialist from the town hall, installing fascists in their stead. And so, Milan became the base of operations for the party.

==== The March on Rome ====

The central government did not respond to Mussolini's actions, prompting Mussolini to begin planning a March on Rome, where, from their new Milanese base. and with financial support from big companies determined to fight against "strikes, bolshevism and nationalization". Mussolini spoke with the General Confederation of Italian Industry (or Confindustria) two days before, and also spoke with American ambassador Richard Washburn Child about whether the USA would object to Fascist participation in the Italian government to which Child gave him American support. And so, having received news of new P.M. Luigi Facta's preparation for a celebration commemorating the Italian victory in WWI, which would be headed by D'Annunzio, Mussolini sprung into action. On the 24th of October, 1922, Mussolini declared at the behest of 6000 Blackshirts in Naples, "Our program is simple, we want to rule Italy". On the following day, Mussolini would appoint the Quadrumvirs, Emilio De Bono, Italo Balbo, Michele Bianchi and Cesare Maria de Vecchi, at the head of the march, while he left for Milan. He ~~would not participate in the march~~, ~~but~~ ~~he would have pictures taken with him. Among other supporters~~ of ~~the~~ ~~march~~ ~~were~~ ~~the Marquis Dino Perrone Compagni and Ulisse Igliori, and generals Gustavo Fara and Sante Ceccherini. In~~ Rome, on October 26, Salandra would warn Facta that Mussolini was demanding his resignation and that he was preparing to march on Rome. Facta (who was still in power even if having resigned) dismissed this, believing Mussolini wanted to simply become a member of his cabinet, and to repel the fascist forces, would decide to declare Rome in a state of siege. However, when he requested the King's permission, to his dismay, Victor Emmanuel refused, fearing a civil war, refused to sign the military order. On October 28, some of Mussolini's industrialist allies met with him at the headquarters of "Il Popolo d'Italia" to try and convince him to rule together with P.M. nominee Salandra. Mussolini refused. On October 30, with fascist forces converging on the capital, the King handed power to Mussolini. On the 29th of October, Mussolini would be requested to form his cabinet, while thousands of Blackshirts paraded in the streets.

The central government did not respond to Mussolini's actions, prompting Mussolini to begin planning a March on Rome, where, from their new Milanese base. and with financial support from big companies determined to fight against "strikes, bolshevism and nationalization". Mussolini spoke with the General Confederation of Italian Industry (or Confindustria) two days before, and also spoke with American ambassador Richard Washburn Child about whether the USA would object to Fascist participation in the Italian government to which Child gave him American support. And so, having received news of new P.M. Luigi Facta's preparation for a celebration commemorating the Italian victory in WWI, which would be headed by D'Annunzio, Mussolini sprung into action. On the 24th of October, 1922, Mussolini declared at the behest of 6000 Blackshirts in Naples, "Our program is simple, we want to rule Italy". On the following day, Mussolini would appoint the Quadrumvirs, Emilio De Bono, Italo Balbo, Michele Bianchi and Cesare Maria de Vecchi, at the head of the march, while he left for Milan. And so, an army of Blackshirts began marching towards Rome.

[[File:FP00000907.jpg|thumb|Squadristi marching on Rome]]

He would not participate in the march, but he would have pictures taken with him. Among other supporters of the march were the Marquis Dino Perrone Compagni and Ulisse Igliori, and generals Gustavo Fara and Sante Ceccherini. In Rome, on October 26, Salandra would warn Facta that Mussolini was demanding his resignation and that he was preparing to march on Rome. Facta (who was still in power even if having resigned) dismissed this, believing Mussolini wanted to simply become a member of his cabinet, and to repel the fascist forces, would decide to declare Rome in a state of siege. However, when he requested the King's permission, to his dismay, Victor Emmanuel refused, fearing a civil war, refused to sign the military order. On October 28, some of Mussolini's industrialist allies met with him at the headquarters of "Il Popolo d'Italia" to try and convince him to rule together with P.M. nominee Salandra. Mussolini refused. On October 30, with fascist forces converging on the capital, the King handed power to Mussolini. On the 29th of October, Mussolini would be requested to form his cabinet, while thousands of Blackshirts paraded in the streets.

== Parties and Factions ==