Interwar Period – Italy Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to Italy during the Interwar Period and the Rise of Fascism.

Treaty of London

A treaty where Italy was promised parts of Trentino-south Tyrol and Dalmatia for entering WWI.

Mutilated Victory

Term used by Italian nationalists to describe the outcome of WWI, as Italy's territorial demands were not fully met.

Biennio Rosso

A two-year period of radical unionism and socialist agitation in Italy after WWI, marked by factory occupations and land seizures.

Fasci di Combattimento

Militaristic and national movement founded in 1919 by Mussolini, meaning 'Combat Groups'.

National Fascist Party

Founded in 1921, the political party led by Mussolini that gained power through political strategies and violence.

The March on Rome

A mobilization of Blackshirts in October 1922, pressuring the Italian government to give power to Mussolini.

Acerbo Law

Law passed in 1923 that guaranteed the party with the most votes a majority in parliament, paving the way for a single-party dictatorship in Italy.

OVRA

Mussolini's secret police force created in 1927 to suppress political opponents through exile and detention.

Romanita Movement

A propaganda movement in Fascist Italy that tapped into the legacy of ancient Rome to portray Mussolini as a modern Caesar.

The Battle for Grain

Fascist policy aimed at making Italy self-sufficient in grain production through tariffs and financial support to farmers.

The Battle for Births

Fascist policy aimed at increasing Italy's population to 60 million by 1950 through incentives for married couples and outlawing abortion.

The Battle of the Marshes

Fascist policy focused on draining marshes to create farmland, improve public health, and create jobs.

The Battle for the Lira

Fascist policy aimed at fixing the Lira's exchange rate and controlling inflation through tight control of the money supply and wage cuts.

Dopolavoro Program

Fascist 'After Work' program that provided leisure activities and cheap vacations only for citizens loyal to the regime.

Figli della Lupa, Balilla, and Avanguardisti

Fascist youth organizations for toddlers, younger children, and teenagers, respectively, providing military-style training and indoctrination.

King Zog I

King of Albania who was given an ultimatum from Italy to accept Italy's conquest over Albania.

Pact of Steel

A pact signed between Italy and Germany in 1939, which meant that the two countries would support each other in the case of a War.

Berlin-Rome Axis

A treaty signed by Italy and Germany in 1936 which formed an axis between the parties.