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The March on Rome

The March on Rome. Recap- Squadrismo and Ras - Who were they?. Squadrismo- the Squads Fascist Vigilante Squads Responded to the ‘threat from the left’ Made up of ex soldiers, middle class students- also semi criminal element

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The March on Rome

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  1. The March on Rome

  2. Recap- Squadrismoand Ras- Who were they? • Squadrismo- the Squads • Fascist Vigilante Squads • Responded to the ‘threat from the left’ • Made up of ex soldiers, middle class students- also semi criminal element • As they proved their ability to deal with the Socialists- farmers, sharecroppers joined the ranks • Responsible for intimidation- burning down Socialist newspaper offices, beating up trade unionists • Victims often forced to drink castor oil (sometimes mixed with petrol) • Ras • Ras- local fascist leaders- grassroots ‘chief’ • Gave some coherence to the squad violence- allowed them to maintain power in local areas • Important in the development of agrarian Fascism- support in the countryside • Large and small landowners feared socialist ideas of collectivisation and were only too willing to support Fascism as well as maintain their own power bases

  3. Summary- Strength of Fascism -1922 • Blackshirts- 250,000 • Party Members- 500,000 • Helped by the disunity of opponents to Fascism • Toleration and collaboration by local leaders / Elite • Foothold in parliament- 35 seats- but hadn’t won huge electoral support. • But overall strength of the Fascists was exaggerated- this may have led the King to miscalculate in 1922. • Socialist power had peaked before 1922- which meant that if there was no longer a ‘threat’ there was perhaps no need for Fascist. • Again Socialist attempt at a General Strike in Aug 1922 played into the hands of the Fascists. • Some leaders within the government considered bringing Fascism into power as part of a coalition as way of ‘taming’ the squads.

  4. Big or Littlequestions? • Was the March on Rome a coup d’ etat? • Who were the Quadrumvirs? • In what ways was the March on Rome similar to the Munich Putsch? • How important is the King in Mussolini’s rise to power? • Did Mussolini sleep on the train to Rome? • How important were squad takeovers of towns to the King’s decision to appoint Mussolini P.M? • What was the content of the telephone conversation between De Vecchi and Rachele Mussolini?

  5. The March on Rome-key moments • 16th October- leading Fascists plan the uprising • 24th October- Fascist Congress- Blackshirts chant ‘A Roma’ • 27th October- plan to mobilise in and around Rome • 27th / 28th Oct P.M Facta decides to use Martial Law • 28th Oct- King intially agrees to sign Martial Law, then refuses. Facta resigns • Salandra takes over-Mussolini refuses to join the govt. • 29th Oct- Mussolini invited to become PM- Mussolini takes the train! • 30th Oct- Mussolini appointed P.M • 31st Oct- squads arrive for a symbolic march past

  6. Did the March happen? • In a symbolic sense, yes. The squads and the Ras got their parade in Rome- but this was the day after Mussolini has become P.M • BUT! The seizure of power in the provinces by local squads is important in understanding why the govt. moved to bring Mussolini into the government. Successful takeovers in Padua, Venice, Modena. • The marchers themselves only numbered about 15,000 by Oct 28th .They could have been dealt with easily by the army and the police had Martial Law been declared. • Numbers increased once Mussolini had been appointed. • GOVERNMENT INACTION IS CENTRAL TO UNDERSTANDING THE SUCCESS OF THE FASCISTS

  7. THE KING

  8. ANTONIO SALANDRA

  9. LUIGI FACTA

  10. MUSSOLINI

  11. Others who influenced Mussolini's rise to power… • The Pope • Giolitti • The Elite industrialists (The Confidustria) • Opposition (Socialists weak and divided) • The Army • The Press

  12. Historians- why did Fascism come to power in Italy? • Clark- Mussolini did not seize power- he was brought into the system. • Blinkhorn- complex!- failure of govt to involve more people in the nation’s affairs. Italians not attached to liberalism or Socialism- Mussolini compromised in order to get into power- no revolution. • Tannebaum- Lack of consensus in Italian politics. Liberals did not prepare the people to be involved in the nation’s political life • Carocci- Conservatives wanted to halt to advance of democracy- go back to the good old days • Kedward- examine the wide appeal of Fascism first • Abse- class conflict

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