Mussolini and World War II

Italy suffered economic collapse after World War I. The government was torn by conflict among Socialists, Communists, and Nationalists. Numerous strikes reduced the country to virtual anarchy. The Fascists, a nationalist group organized by Benito Mussolini in 1919, had a large following. In 1922, at the request of King Victor Emmanuel, Mussolini took over the government. He became dictator of Italy and promised to restore order through strong central authority.

Under Fascism, Italy became a totalitarian state devoted to expansion and military conquest. Ethiopia was invaded and conquered by Italy in 1935–36. In 1936 Italy and Germany began cooperating on foreign policy, marking the beginning of the Axis alliance. They intervened in the Spanish Civil War (1936–39) on the side of Francisco Franco's rebel forces. In 1937 Italy withdrew from the League of Nations and in 1939 it seized Albania. A military alliance was formed with Germany in 1939. Meanwhile, the Italian government and the papacy had signed the Lateran Treaty in 1929, establishing the independence of Vatican City.

Italy entered World War II by invading France in June, 1940. The Italians invaded Greece (1940–41), but required massive German assistance to overrun the country. Campaigns in Africa were disastrous: Ethiopia was lost in 1941, Libya in 1943. The Allies invaded Sicily in July, 1943. Later that year, Mussolini was deposed and arrested, but was rescued by the Germans.

Mussolini was succeeded as premier by Marshal Pietro Badoglio, who surrendered Italy to the Allies in September shortly after Allied troops invaded the mainland. In October Italy declared war on Germany, whose forces occupied the country as far south as Rome. Fighting continued until the German collapse in May, 1945. Mussolini was captured and killed by Italian partisans.