Fascist Italy
Fascist Italy was the 
fascist state that ruled 
Kingdom of Italy from 1922 to 1943. He was the first fascist country, led by 
dictator 
Bentio Mussolini. Fascist Italy is infamous for being extremely 
repressive and also fighting on the side of the 
Axis Powers during WWII.
History
Consolidation
In October 1922, Mussolini orchestrated the famous March on 
Rome, a mass mobilization of 
Blackshirts toward the capital. Rather than resist, King 
Victor Emmanuel III capitulated and invited Mussolini to form a government. On 29 October 1922, Mussolini became Prime Minister at just 39 years old.
At first, Mussolini governed within a nominal 
constitutional framework. But after the murder of 
socialist deputy 
Giacomo Matteotti in 1924 (who had publicly denounced Fascist 
electoral fraud) Mussolini used the crisis to his advantage. Rather than fall, Fascist Italy doubled down. By 1925-1926, what remained of Italian 
democracy was all dismantled: all opposition parties were banned, the free press was suppressed, independent trade unions were abolished, and a secret police force, the 
OVRA, was established. Mussolini assumed the title Il Duce ("The Leader").
In 1929, the Lateran Treaty with the 
Catholic Church recognized 
Vatican City as an independent state and made 
Catholicism Italy's 
official religion, winning Mussolini enormous popularity and the Church's tacit support.
Italy pursued a vision of a totalitarian, 
corporatist state in which the 
economy was organized into state-supervised 
syndicates. Propaganda glorified the 
Roman Empire, discipline, youth, and 
virility. Organizations like the 
Opera Nazionale Balilla indoctrinated children from a young age. Public works projects such as draining the Pontine Marshes, building highways (autostrade) were showcased as proof of fascist efficiency.
World War II
Fascist Italy harbored dreams of a new Roman Empire in 
Africa. In October 1935, Italy invaded 
Ethiopia, using poison gas and overwhelming force against a poorly armed enemy. Ethiopia appealed to the 
League of Nations, who imposed economic sanctions on Italy half-heartedly. By May 1936, Ethiopia was 
conquered. Mussolini declared the birth of the Italian Empire, and his popularity at home peaked. Victor Emmanuel III was proclaimed Emperor of Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian war pushed Italy toward 
Nazi Germany, who had supported the invasion. Mussolini and 
Hitler announced the Rome-Berlin Axis in 1936. Italy also intervened in the Spanish Civil War alongside 
Franco, testing weapons and military tactics.
In 1938, under German pressure, Mussolini enacted the 
racial laws, stripping Italian 
Jews of citizenship, 
property rights, and access to education—a shocking departure even for many fascist loyalists.
Italy and Germany formalized their alliance with the Pact of Steel in 1939, committing each to aid the other in 
war. When Germany launched his blitzkrieg in the 
West, Italy, not wanting to miss the spoils of what seemed like certain German victory, declared war on 
France and 
Britain in June 1940.
It was a catastrophe. The Italian military was poorly equipped and poorly led. Italy invaded 
Greece thinking it would be easy, just to be beaten up and having to call Germany to save his ahh in 1941. Additional campaigns in North Africa and 
Soviet Union ended similarly. 
Allied bombing of Italian cities deepened civilian suffering and eroded support for the regime.
In July 1943, Allied forces landed in 
Sicily. On 25 July, the Fascist Grand Council voted to strip Mussolini of his command.
Relationships
Friends
German Third Reich - Oh, oh! My student who grew stronger than me! You focus too much on 
racial issues, though! Oh!
Vatican City - Oh, you can have independence, oh! Just give me your endorsement, oh!
Enemies
Kingdom of Greece - Invade, Greece now, for the Italy! Show no, mercy, slaughter them like sheep!
How to draw
Fascist Italy has a drawing rating of intermediate.
- Draw a ball.
- Fill it with three vertical stripes, from left to right in this order of colours: green, white, red
- In the white, draw a blue hollow square with thick borders, and make the top two corners extend out a bit. Smooth out the bottom two corners, and extend the middle out in a little point.
- Fill the blue square with red.
- Add a white cross ➕ in the red.
- Draw the eyes and you are done!
| Color Name | HEX | |
|---|---|---|
| Lombardy Green | #009246 | |
| White | #FFFFFF | |
| Fire Engine Red | #CE2B37 | |
| Blue | #4B61D1 | |
| Full Red | #D2232C | |
Gallery
See Also
