Italy - 1918-22

Why was war considered a 'mutilated victory'?

• Because Italy had not recieved many of the irrendenta lands expected in the Treaty of London (1915) - due to Wilson's 'Fourteen Points'
• Iatly ended up heavily in debt with businesses/industry failing

Occupation of Fiume (1919)

• D'Annunzio decided in September 1919 to takeover Fiume (part of Yugoslavia) 
• 2,000 arditi (mutineers/deserters) stormed port town and they conquered
• Whilst there created 'Roman Salute'/took title of Duce/supporters wore Blackshirts - link to Mussolini's rule
• took 15 months for government to intervene and apply pressure for D'Annunzio to be removed
• Showed that millitary force could easily achieve political goals

Political/Economic Crisis

• Peasants who had fought in war did not recieve any extra land like they had been promised - led to land consfiscations by peasants which Giolitti accepted - meant that landowners lost out and led to rising tensions
• Massive debts after war - owed Britain/France 15 million 

Biennio Rosso 'Red Years' (1919-20)

• During this time, there was over 4,000 strikes in industry and algriculture
• April 1920 - General Strike in north Italy
• September 1920 - 400,000 workers took over factories across Italy
• Workers demanded higher wages and lower prices in living which resulted in government sucuming to demands and lowering food prices to the annoyance of landowners/farmers
• These governmental changes caused huge upset within the middle and industrial classes as it meant a reduction of their power
• caused increase in support for radical parties for middle class/industrialists

1919 Elections

• November 1919 - Universal Suffrage implemented with proportional representation which Giolitti hoped would decrease radical voices in government
• PPI and PSI received biggest parties in parliment (32% and 20.5%) but refused to work together and so meant the Liberals under Giolitti remained in charge
• Fascists failed to recieve any seats 

Fasci di Combattimento (March 1919)

• At first it was very left- wing with anti-monarchy, anti-clerical, female suffrage but didn't have much ideological message which meant it applied to many classes without confrontation
• on verge of collapse with only 4,000 supporters in 1920 due to Biennio Rosso decreasing support for left wing parties 

Move towards the right (1921-)

• Movement of fascism based around squads often led by former army members and the wearing of blackshirts, used violent methods against fascists, had support from army to use violent methods to instill fear of socialism
• Many police and army liked the fascists as they saw them as establishing order and breaking down socialist uprisings
• Increase of support from middle classes and land owners as they had lost out during socialist uprisings and feared the increase of socialism
• gained support from students as new and dynamic force which was different from the weak liberals (made…