IL Duce: Benito Mussolini

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Benito Mussolini, the late dictator of Italy, was nicknamed IL Duce which translates to “the leader”. During Mussolini’s reign as dictator over Italy, he aimed to return the country to its former glory. Benito Mussolini’s doctrine of Fascism influenced his economic and political decisions concerning Italy in various ways.
Mussolini was born on July 29, 1883 in Predappio, Italy. His full name was Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini. Alessandro, his father, was a blacksmith and Rosa, his mother, was a school teacher. Mussolini’s father was politically a socialist but his son soon parted from his father’s ways.
In 1912, Mussolini was appointed to be the editor of the socialist newspaper Avanti!. Mussolini eventually became unemployed due to his support of Italian intervention in World War I. After the war had ended, Benito Mussolini established a group of veterans known as Fasci di Combattimento which can mean “Union for Struggle”, “Union of Combat”, or “Fighting League”. In 1922, Mussolini commanded what he called the “March on Rome”. He ordered that thousands of Fascists to seize control of Rome. King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy appointed Mussolini to be prime minister before the march could take place. However, Mussolini did not officially become dictator until the year 1925. He had previously compromised with parliament until he declared himself dictator of Italy in January of 1925.
Mussolini’s doctrine of Fascism is a spiritual concept that emphasizes the importance of man using all his energy and being aware of all his problems. It also describes that man can form and mold his own world through his free will. Mussolini also states “War alone keys up all human energies to their maximum tension and sets the seal of nobility o...

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