The Rise of Benito Mussolini & His Italian War Plan

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The Great Depression left European nations in ruins. The people were in desperate need for a strong leader to rise out of the ashes. Ordinary individuals became extraordinary supreme leaders overnight. Benito Mussolini was one of these people. With Mussolini’s strong beliefs in totalitarianism, militarism, nationalism, and imperialism, he was able to rise to power and carry out his Italian War Plan. As a Fascist leader, Mussolini greatly enforced totalitarianism, which was a form of government in which the state had complete control over almost every aspect of peoples’ lives. Mussolini was the foundation for totalitarianism in Italy. He set the stage for strong and secure leadership by practicing totalitarian dictatorship. Mussolini stated: …a party holding "totalitarian" rule over a nation, is a new departure in history. There are no points of reference nor of comparison. From beneath the ruins of liberal, socialist, and democratic doctrines, Fascism extracts those elements which are still vital. It preserves what may be described as "the acquired facts" of history; it rejects all else… (qtd in World Book Advanced). For Mussolini there were no other governmental options, just Fascism. After King Victor Emmanuel III put Mussolini in charge of the government in October 1922, Mussolini “legally” took power. The powerful Mussolini took on a new name as well. He was now called Il Duce, which meant, “The Leader.” Benito Mussolini was truly a dictator. He completely abolished democracy and all political parties, because he only believed in a one-party rule, which was the Fascist Party. In addition, he enforced government control on industry, schools, the press, and the police. Government officials only allowed radio stations and publications to broadcast Fascist principles. Also, he had his opponents silenced by his secret police and Fascist militia. When WWI had
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