Mussolini: The First Fascist

A masterful orator, Benito Mussolini seized power in Italy in October 1922, four years after the end of the First World War. Using the threat of chaos, he seized power in a legal coup that would inspire many dictators. The son of a far-left activist, Mussolini enjoyed the support of employers and many veterans. By promising the Italian people a return to greatness, repressing communists and suppressing civil liberties, he won the admiration of many in the 1920s, and reached the height of his po…