may 20, 1921 - Mussolini

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1921 Nov 9 In Italy, a paramilitary group declares itself a political party: the National Fascist Party (Partito Nazionale Fascist). The party's leader (El Duce) is Benito Mussolini.

1922

Mar 3 Mussolini's fascists occupy Fiume (on the north eastern Adriatic coast and belonging to Hungary until the end of World War I). The occupation is an appeal to Italian patriotism and in the weeks ahead will be backed by regular Italian troops.

Jul 31 In Italy, an attempt at a show of force by the Socialist Party and Railwaymen's Union produces their call for a general strike. The strike will give the fascist leader Benito Mussolini renewed opportunity to posture as Italy's savior.

Oct 22 The fascist's seven-day march on Rome begins. It will be described as having fewer than 30,000 participants. It is led by bemedaled men expressing the machismo involvement in war.

Oct 28 Mussolini has the support of Italy's military, business class and rightists. Prime Minister Luigi Facta is prepared to stop the fascist insurrection and arrest its leaders. He has a state of emergency drawn up for this, but King Emmanual III (barely five feet tall) refuses to sign it. Instead he chooses Mussolini as Prime Minister. Mussolini will form a cabinet of fascists and rightwing nationalists.

Nov 24 Italy's parliament gives Mussolini dictatorial powers for one year.


1923

Mar 2 In Italy, Mussolini says that women have a right to vote, but he declares that the time is not right for it.

Aug 27 An Italian general and three of his assistants are assassinated by unknown assailants in Kakavia, on the border between Albania and Greece. In two days Mussolini sends an ultimatum to Greece demanding reparations. None is received and on the 31st Italy bombs and occupies the Greek island of Corfu, killing at least fifteen civilians.

Sep 27 Greece has appealed to the League of Nations regarding Italy's occupation of Corfu. Italy and Greece have agreed to be bound by the decision of the League's Conference of Ambassadors. The Conference orders Greece to apologise and pay reparations. Greece accepts, and today Italian forces leave Corfu.

Oct 23 Unrest rising from France's occupation of the Ruhr continues. The Communist Party in Hamburg (around14,000 members) doesn't have the votes to win power in Hamburg, but it moves to overthrow Hamburg's government. They attack twenty-four police stations in and near the city. In some areas street barricades are built. Most of the uprising is quelled within a few hours, but street fighting continues into the next day. The uprising adds to the antagonism between Germany's Communists and Social Democrats, who a decade later might have benefitted from unity against the political Right and Hitler. The uprising alarms Germany's middle class and helps give credence to claims from Hitler concerning a communist menace. Stalin has been urging restraint by Germany's Communists. His rival in Moscow, Trotsky, is eager for armed revolution.

1925

Jan 3 Benito Mussolini dissolves parliament and becomes a dictator.

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