Mussolini dates

Unification of Italy

1861

Total unification, birth of “Liberal Italy”

1870

Formation of the Italian Socialist Party

1892

First attempt to conquer Abyssinia

1896

Nationalist Party founded

1910

WWI breaks out

1914

Italy leaves the Triple Alliance to join the Triple Entente

1915

Battles against Austria-Hungary on the Italian Front in the North

1915-17

Caporetto

1917

Final defeat of Austria-Hungary

1918

End of WWI

1918

Temporary government

1919-1922

General strike

August 1922

March on Rome

October 1922

Mussolini appointed PM

October 1922

Fascist party wins a vote of confidence

November 1922

Nationalist party merges with Fascist Party

1923

Acerbo Law passed

July 1923

Two-thirds of parliament seats secured

April 1924

Matteotti assassinated, Mussolini assumes responsibility

May 1924

Mussolini becomes “Il Duce”

January 1925

Decree on Powers passed

December 1925

OVRA established

November–January ‘26-’27

The Battle for Grain

1925

The Battle for the Lira

1926

The Battle for Land

1928

The Corfu Affair

1923

Fiume captured by Mussolini’s commander

1924

Diplomatic relations established with the Soviet Union*

1924

Locarno Pact*

1925

Treaty of Friendship, Italian protectorate of Albania*

1926

Kellogg-Briand, Treaty of Friendship (Abyssinia)*

1928

Formation of the Stresa Front*

1935

Invasion of Abyssinia

October 1935

Abyssinia formally annexed by Italy

May 1936

Intervention in Spanish Civil War

1936

Rome-Berlin Axis*

1936

Anti-Comintern Pact

1937

Italy leaves the League

1937

Invasion of Albania

April 1939

Pact of Steel

1939

Entrance into WWII

June 1940