1
Q
What was the first form of opposition to Fascism?
A
Matteotti (1924)
2
Q
Who were the Rosselli brothers?
A
- Carlo and Nello Rosselli.
- Came from a wealthy Tuscan family.
- After a period in the army and uni, both became lecturers.
- Became increasingly horrified by Fascist violence.
3
Q
Who was the more politically radical Rosselli brother?
A
- Carlo.
- joined the PSI and after 1922 participated in anti-Fascist organisations & spread anti-Fascist propaganda.
4
Q
Why was Carlo Rosselli arrested in December 1926?
A
Helped opponents escape to exile but was arrested.
Sentenced to 5 years imprisonment on Lipari island.
5
Q
When did Carlo escape?
A
July 1929. Then fled to paris.
6
Q
When was Nello arrested?
A
Briefly arrested in 1927 & remained under police surveillance.
7
Q
What was the anti-Fascist group set up by Carlo?
A
- Justice and Liberty (GL)
- set up in Paris
8
Q
What did GL do?
A
- they publicised conditions in Italy
- smuggled propaganda leaflets into Italy
- helped secret activity in Italy
9
Q
What else did Carlo do?
A
- When the Italian govt sent troops to fight Franco in SCW, he helped organise 30k anti-Fascist Italians to join an anti-Fascist crusade in Spain.
- Made radio broadcasts to Italy c. their struggle, claiming “Today in Spain; tomorrow in Italy”.
10
Q
What was the slogan broadcast by Carlo’s radio channel?
A
“Today in Spain; tomorrow in Italy”
11
Q
What did the GL help inflict the defeat on?
A
- BM’s troops at Guadalajara in March 1937.
- Carlo publicised this humiliation & helped provoke BM’s revenge.
12
Q
What happened to the Rosselli brothers in June 1937?
A
They were both murdered by French fascists, acting on Foreign Minister Ciano’s orders.
13
Q
Anti-Fascist concentration
A
- Established in Paris 1927
- Mainly Socialists, some Liberals
- Tried to overcome previous divisions; difficult
- Concentrated on informing Europeans of evils of Fascism via conferences and journals
- 1934: dissolved itself, as it was losing support to the more radical GL, & Communist organisations.
14
Q
Work in exile
A
- After 1924 many major politicians left Italy
- 1000s of exiles publicised horrors of Fascism abroad, smuggled anti-Fascist lit into Italy, and planned for the overthrow of Fascism
- From 1936 there were 3k anti-Fascist volunteers fighting in Spain
- Italian Garibaldi Legion defeated Italian Fascist troops at Guadalajara, March 1937
15
Q
What were the exiles called?
A
Fuorusciti
16
Q
The Communist Party
A
- 1926: most leaders arrested, but local party cells, & newspaper “Unita” survived illegally
- 2k to 8k members
- Some success in N in infiltrating factories & TUs to foment strikes and demos
- Helped by Soviet money but Comintern policy (1928-34) of non-collaboration w/ other anti-F groups limited its impact
- 1930s: Depression & new popular front policy meant it attracted more support
- 1943 onwards: major role in resistance movement in N. Italy
17
Q
Who was Bassanesi?
A
- GL member
- flew over Milan in July 1930 dropping 100k leaflets urging resistance
- Was a major publicity coup for anti-Fascism
18
Q
Who was De Bosis?
A
- taught himself to fly
- In 1931 he dropped 400k leaflets over Rome telling people they should unite with the monarchy against F.
19
Q
When did De Bosis drop 400k leaflets over Rome?
A
3rd Oct 1931
20
Q
GL (Justice and Liberty)
A
- 1929 founded by CR in Paris
- Tried to galvanise Italians into anti-F action
- Established underground network in Italy, but frequently smashed.
- After the murder of the Rossellis, GL declined; then revived from 1943, during liberation struggle.
21
Q
The Church
A
- Despite the Concordat agreement there was later by the Catholic church of:
(i) Fascist pressure on CA (1931)
(ii) racist decrees (1938) - CA organisations remained as potential rivals to F.
22
Q
The Fascist Party
A
- F remained a diverse movement, & there was always simmering criticism from some, especially Radicals, e.g. the Concordat
- 1943: majority of Grand Council voted to remove BM from office
23
Q
The King
A
- Generally supportive; but privately expressed criticism of actions he saw as threatening his position, and various policies, e.g. racist decrees
- July 1934: dismissed BM
24
Q
Ethnic minorities
A
- Periodic protests
- including bomb attacks and murders of policemen
- at imposition of Italian language and culture on German and Slav minorities in Alto Adige & Venezia Giulia
25
Armed uprising
- 1943 to 1945: Growing resistance movement against German occupation of the N
- Communist guerrillas shot BM, 1945
26
Assassination attempts
- Various anarchist isolated actions; 4 attempts on BM's life in 1925 (Rome) & 1926 (Bologna: suspected of being staged to justify 1926 repression)
- 1931: bombs in Turin, Genoa and Bologna
27
Non-conformity
- Hard to assess but various forms:
(i) refusal to make Fascist salute
(ii) refusal to wear Fascist uniform
(iii) anti-F jokes
(iv) verbal insults
(v) Late 30s non-compliance w/ Reform of Customs
28
Propaganda
- underground printing of anti-F propaganda
- Secret Press had some success, especially in the N, but periodically disrupted by the police.
- Distribution of anti-F leaflets, w/ instructions to pass on to at least 6 others
- Anti-F slogans on walls
29
Armed uprisings
- 1943 to 1945: Growing resistance movement against German occupation of the N
- Communist guerrillas shot BM, 1945
30
Open expression of criticism
- Growing public criticism of F violence, culminating in the murder of Matteotti; increasingly repressed after 1925
- Parliamentary Aventine Secession 1924-25
- Some critical journals survived till 1926; then suppressed; less direct opposition via cultural journals
- Intellectual criticism persisted throughout period, especially from Croce, e.g. Manifesto of Anti-F Intellectuals, 1925
- Elements in elite periodically expressed criticism
31
Strikes & demos
- declined 1924-25, but periodic illegal strikes:
(a) Turin March 1943 major strike, quickly gained concessions
(b) Bologna 1930 & 1931 protests against closing soup kitchens, & having to pay for medical injections
(c) Trieste 1933 protests about lack of food
(d) Forli 1935 protests demanding public works
-1933: numerous spontaneous demos in N cities w/ slogan "We want bread & jobs"
32
Why was there so little opposition in Italy?
REASON 1- strength of the govt
REASON 2- attitudes of ordinary people
REASON 3- practical problems
33
REASON 1- strength of govt
- strong repressive machinery
- popular policies
- propaganda
- popularity of the leader
34
REASON 2- attitudes of ordinary people
- mass apathy
- careerism
- reluctance to break law
- support for the govt
- fear of the govt
35
REASON 3- practical reasons
- hard to organise meetings
| - hard to spread ideas
A2 Fascist Italy- FP
flashcards
Decks in class (19)
# Cards
-
Opposition35
-
FP Timeline34
-
Italy in 1922 (FP)8
-
Corfu Crisis 192336
-
Fiume 19246
-
Albania (1926)16
-
Lorcano Treaties (1925)17
-
Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)19
-
BM's ever changing character (FP: 1922-late 30s)9
-
Historians' interpretation of FP in the 1930s5
-
Austria (1934)38
-
Assassination of King Alexander (1934)12
-
Anglo-German Naval Agreement (1935)9
-
Libya (1933)20
-
The 4 Power Pact (July 1933)23
-
The Stresa Front (1935)24
-
Abyssinia (1935-6)49
-
Spanish Civil War (1936-39)42
-
Italy stepping away from B & F, and into AH's arms <3 (1936-1938)26
