HIST 410N Week 2 Assignment: Essay – Video Analysis | Video Analysis: Benito Mussolini (solution)

VIDEO ANALYSIS 2 Benito Mussolini, creator and leader of the first fascist movement in Italy, bombarded his way into power through the use of extreme violent acts and intimidation during the 1920s. Seen as a tyrant an ...

VIDEO ANALYSIS 2 Benito Mussolini, creator and leader of the first fascist movement in Italy, bombarded his way into power through the use of extreme violent acts and intimidation during the 1920s. Seen as a tyrant and powerful ruler, his fascist movement was supported by the idea of ‘making Italy great again’ with nationalism, loyalty, and supremacy of the Italian race as the backbone to his theory. Mussolini believed the idea that fascism was the true way to restore the many issues Italy faced at the time. His tactical use of force and violence allowed him to enforce the ideology of fascism on the Italian people for many years. This paper will analyze Benito Mussolini’s video on aspects of foreign policy, violent/ non violent social, economic and political change movements, and government authority and loss of personal liberties. Foreign Policy After reviewing the Benito Mussolini video, a clear foreign policy wasn’t known initially but it was evident that Mussolini’s ultimate goal was to make Italy powerful and as synonymous as other European countries like Britain and France. Mussolini took great efforts to expand his influence of Italian fascism through use of violence, his use of war to distract the country from his failures of the fascism movement, and basically to make Italy great, respected and feared. Fascism was built on nationalism, which he felt was necessary to start a revolution. “Fascism celebrates military might, extreme devotion to country, and superiority of the Italian people.” (Dictator’s Playbook, 2015). He wanted to prove that they were a strong nation and implementing his ideology would help restore order in Italy. Violent/ non-violent movements I found it very interesting yet was saddened to learn of the extreme acts of violence by the fascists. In order to bring down the communist party, the fascist promoted the use of violence. They made it evident that violence would be used at all cost in order to receive what This study source was downloaded by 100000860583932 from CourseHero.com on 01-18-2023 12:08:47 GMT -06:00 https://www.coursehero.com/file/62486746/Hist-410-wk-2-Video-Analysis/ VIDEO ANALYSIS 3 they wanted. Homes were burned, socialist leaders were murdered, people were assaulted, and major destruction to union halls. Mussonili wanted to end democracy and rule as a dictator. He threatened his way into power as prime minister by demanding King Victor Emmanuel III appoint him as prime minister or the Fascist would march on Rome (Duiker, 2015). Mussolini made his objective clear, “Obey me or be dissolved” (Dictator’s Playbook, 2015). He was going to mold this entire country to the fascist way of life. His tyrannical methods didn’t end there, in fact in the election in 1826, the Fascist won that election through violence, intimidation, and vote rigging. However there were some nonviolent strategies he took to reinforce traditional social attitudes. He created public work programs that decreased unemployment rates. Public education, road and town building, etc helped him gain support of the Italian people. Government Authority/ Loss of personal liberties By the 1930s, Mussolini was nearly in complete control of Italy. He initiated press laws and police laws which forbid any publication of disrespect to his monarchy, state, or Catholic Church and empowered the police to confine and jail anyone who committed political and non political crimes. The video speaks on how he indoctrinated the country, instilling his image and views into people at a young age and forcing the previous population that his way was the only way that’ll can help the country. His slogans and images were represented everywhere. By the 1930s, he had young men and even children practicing this way of life by initiating summer camps, drills, and pre-military exercises to mold them into war soldiers. The video didn’t cover how he regulated women’s clothing, increased penalties for abortions, outlawed freemasonry, and made clergy exempt from taxaton (Greenspan, 2019). It’s clear by this time, Mussolini was in complete control. The Benito Mussolini video definitely gave me a better understanding of him and his