Biographies

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Benito Mussolini was born in Forli, [|Italy] , in 1883. After working briefly as a schoolteacher, he fled to Switzerland in 1902 to evade military service. He returned to [|Italy]  in 1904 and over the next ten years worked as a journalist and was active in the socialist movement. He entered military services and rose to the rank of corporal during WWI.

Mussolini was a leader of the Italian Nationalist movement. He became the 40th Prime Minister in 1922. In 1935, he ordered an invasion of Ethiopia that was condemned by the League of Nations. His successful efforts in North Africa were admired by Adolf Hitler and they signed a political pact in October 1936.

In 1939, Italy invaded [|Albania] . Soon afterwards Mussolini signed a full defensive alliance with Nazi Germany, the Pact of Steel. However, Mussolini did not declare war on Great [|Britain]  and [|France]  until June 10, 1940. Mussolini’s military campaigns to capture the Suez Canal in Egypt and Greece were thwarted by Allied forces in 1940 and 1941. Italy became fully dependent upon Nazi Germany.

In 1943, Allied forces invaded Sicily. The successful campaign led to a full invasion of Italy. Mussolini and his mistress, Clara Patacci, attempted to escape to Switzerland but were soon captured at Lake Como on April 27, 1945. The following day they were executed and bodies displayed in public in Milan.

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