Mussolini in the First World War : the journalist, the soldier, the fascist / Paul O'Brien.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

O'Brien, Paul, 1962-

Language:

English

Italian

Subjects (All):

Mussolini, Benito, 1883-1945--Political and social views.

Mussolini, Benito.

Mussolini, Benito, 1883-1945.

Press and politics--Italy--History--20th century--Sources.

Press and politics.

World War, 1914-1918--Sources.

World War, 1914-1918.

History.

Political and social views.

Italy.

Fascism--Italy.

Fascism.

Italy--Politics and government--1914-1922.

Politics and government.

Genre:

Sources.

Physical Description:

212 pages : maps ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Oxford ; New York : Berg, 2005.

Language Note:

Includes Mussolini's writings, translated into English.

Summary:

How did Benito Mussolini come to fascism? Standard accounts of the dictator have failed to explain satisfactorily the transition from his pre-World War I 'socialism' to his post-war fascism. This controversial new book is the first to examine closely Mussolini's political trajectory during the Great War as evidenced in his journalistic writings, speeches and war diary, as well as some previously unexamined archive material.

The author argues that the 1914-18 conflict provided the catalyst for Mussolini to clarify his deep-rooted nationalist tendencies. He demonstrates that Mussolini's interventionism was already anti-socialist and anti-democratic in the early autumn of 1914 and shows how in and through the experience of the conflict the future duce fine-tuned his authoritarian and totalitarian vision of Italy in a state of permanent mobilization for war.

Providing a radical new interpretation of one of the most important dictators of the twentieth century, Mussolini in the First World War will appeal to anyone who wants to learn more about the roots of fascism in modern Europe.

Contents:

1 Stating the Programme: November 1918-June 1919 11

2 Man of Straw: July 1914-May 1915 31

3 Mind and Matter: May-November 1915 59

4 Digging In: November 1915-June 1916 87

5 Disenchanted Warrior: July 1916-February 1917 107

6 War and Revolution: March-October 1917 123

7 Victory Imagined: October 1917-November 1918 141

8 Envisioning Fascism: October 1917-November 1918 163.

Notes:

Originally presented as the author's thesis (doctoral)--Trinity College, Dublin.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 189-199) and index.

ISBN:

1845200519

1845200527

OCLC:

56421978