Italy’s involvement in the war was an attempt by the government to solve the problem of terre irredente and to unite the people. However, there was much debate over whether Italy should join the war at all. The two camps were the neutralists and the interventionists. The government felt it had no choice in the matter; it had to go to war. Its reasoning was based on the belief that a victorious nation would look badly at Italy for not joining the war and they also wanted to be on the winning nations side. They of course did not know who was going to win so they decided they would join the side that offered them the best deal. Meetings with the Austrians over the terre irredente proved fruitless and then the Allies offered a better deal and so the “Treaty of London” was signed and Italy joined the war. The interventionists had proven decisive in the government joining the war, after they had had street demonstrations for a month the government gave its backing to the war. This is an early indication of parliament not standing up to groups who opposed it. These revolutionary groups were called “Fasci di Azione Revoluzionaria” and Mussolini was part of one such group. Although the Italian forces were under prepared for conflict they did fight nobly. They did, however, suffer a major defeat at Caporetto, which had a huge impact on the course of the war. Not because it sounded a death knoll for the Italians but rather because the news of the defeat caused such outrage in Italy it made the Italian government readdress the current military structure. The defeat had reinforced the tide of defeatism and social tension. The government spent vast sums on military equipment to ensure an Italian victory. The head of the military was replaced and the army began to make gains on the war front. This culminated in a dramatic victory at Vittorio-Veneto, this produced a wave of hysterical nationalism. Against this background the problems of Italy were far more exaggerated. Especially the actions of the government, who had shown itself to be open to pressure, fickle in its support and unreliable with the nation’s money.
The two major consequences for Italy due to the end of the war were national resentment and social tensions. The national tensions grew from Italy not being given all the territories it had been promised at the Treaty of London. This was largely due to President Woodrow Wilson and his concept of a New World Order. Many war veterans felt particularly hurt by this feeling as is there sacrifice had gone in vein. They were angry that the government had not secured what it had promised for its people. These war veterans would be the early supporters of Fascism in later years. The eccentric poet Gabriele D’Annunzio took the resentment to the extreme, when he took over the Yugoslav port of Fiume. It took the Italian government over a year to react, showing their indecisive nature. The social resentment lay in the declining Italian industry. During the war the government had spent a huge amount of money on equipment for the military and the Italian industry had prospered due to receiving these large orders. After there was no longer the need for the equipment, therefore no orders and so the industries began to decline. This did not only affect the business owners but the workers too. Inflation at this time meant that small workers wages could buy even less. The workers felt outraged that they had been made to work long hours in poor conditions for the government during the war and now this was their reward. The war had failed to unite the country nor had it made Italy a major power, the true consequences would be seen in a disturbing display of lawlessness and violence over the following years.
“Is this Russia or Italy?” remarked one landowner in post-war Italy. One can understand his concerns as he walked around Cremona. He would have seen red flags flying over town halls, postage stamps showing the hammer and sickle, and Socialist making blood-curdling speeches about revolution. This period became known as the “two red years,” and Mussolini was out to portray himself as the only person to stop the spread of the “red menace.” During these years there were frequent strikes, land seizures and factory occupations by trade unionists and peasant leagues. The reaction of Giolitti, the Prime minister, annoyed employers, as he suggested they make concessions to the workers. Mussolini seized this opportunity to send in squadre d’azione (action squads) to assist businessmen in the northern industrial cities and landowners, estate manager and farmers in the Po valley and Tuscany by breaking up strikes in factories and by destroying the power of the peasant leagues in the countryside. The squadristi also proved to be highly effective security guards for frightened businessmen and bankers, who rewarded their services with money for Fascist funds. Socialist activity continued to play into the hands of the Fascists when they called a general strike. The government did nothing to prevent it and Mussolini announced if the government would do nothing then he would. Fascist took over public transport and the postal system and obverted the effects of the strike, which soon collapsed due to poor organisation. Conservatives were now seeing Mussolini as someone who could be used to stop socialism. Even former socialists were beginning to turn to Fascism; this was largely due to the split the PSI in 1921. These turncoats saw socialism as a sinking ship and were quick to join the alternative to the unions the Fascist syndicates. During these years Mussolini successfully convinced many people that he was their defender against Communism and importantly he gained the support of the Church for this.
A bundle of rods with a protruding axe head represents Fascism. The rods represent the many groups who supported Fascism. Mussolini realised he needed widespread support if he was ever to take power. This is why he abandoned many of his overly socialists views, insulting the monarchy and condemning the church. He did not have a manifesto but did keep preaching an anti-communist view and nationalist principals. By not having a clear policy he was able to appeal to many. Due to the impotency of the Liberal government there were many disenchanted groups for Mussolini to target. These include war veterans, the agrarian sector, industrialists, conservatives and the backbone of Fascism, the lower middle class. The lower middle classes had been moved down a level after the First World War and were increasingly disenchanted. They feared Socialist activity and increased industrialisation; Fascism was the only group that appeared to offer a solution to both. Few worried that this seemed to be contradictory they were simple happy that finally someone was taking an interest in their needs.
The lower ranks of the army had always been avid supporters of Fascism, to the extent that they diverted equipment to them. The officer class to tended support Fascism, but could not openly show their allegiance as to keep discipline. The Police openly should their support by standing back whilst the Fascist used extreme violence against socialists. Many of the aristocratic class began to support Fascism after Mussolini stopped hi verbal attacks on the monarchy. In fact the Queen’s Mother, Margherita, and the King’s cousin, the Duke of Aosta, were admirers of Fascism. When the threat of the “March on Rome” came about the King was indecisive, he initially gave the order for martial law, and then he withdrew it. He feared a civil war, he had no compassion for the Liberals, he felt that maybe Mussolini could deal with the socialist threat and he feared a coup from his cousin, so the order was never reissued. The army could not act, as they did not receive the order. And so, Mussolini was invited to form a government in October 1922, the following day his black shirts marched through Rome, the threat had worked.
To conclude I have shown that the rise of Fascism was due to a concatenation of events. All the necessary elements were there for the rise of a radical movement. Many countries in Europe had far right activists in them, but Italy was the first to embrace these views. As it had the society, culture and political system in place which left the country open to the birth, growth and rise of extremism.
