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Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 29, 1883 – April 28 1945) also called Il Duce, was the leader of Italy from 1922 to 1945.

Biography[]

A former socialist and soldier during the First World War, Mussolini became the 40th Prime Minister of Italy. In 1922, he led a march on Rome that placed himself in the Governmental seat. He has been called the founder of modern fascism. He eventually forged a dictatorship which, despite having numerous economic victories, was largely characterized by violence.

Mussolini and the Mafia[]

In order to gain control of the south, particularly Sicily, Mussolini declared war on the Mafia.

In 1925, he appointed Cesare Mori as the Prefect of Palermo. Mussolini ordered him to round up all known or suspected Mafiosi and imprison them on the island of Ustica. By 1928, many members of the Mafia were arrested. Most of them were convicted and imprisoned, and many others were internally exiled without trial. Mori's campaign ended in 1929 when Mussolini recalled him to Rome. The campaign had decimated the Sicilian Mafia and many mafiosi had fled to the United States. Mussolini's purges led to the destruction of the Clericuzio, Mangano and Drago clans, though they would all rise again in America.

Later years[]

Mussolini later became allies with Adolf Hitler and joined him against Britain and France during World War II. He eventually fell from power and was executed in 1945, and his corpse was publicly displayed, signally once and for all the end of fascism in Italy.

External links[]

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