Italo Balbo
Rise of Fascism: Italy
1919-1925
Who was Balbo?
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Italo Balbo (5 June 1896 - 28 June 1940)
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an Italian Blackshirt leader,
Marshal of the Air Force (Maresciallo
dell'Aria),
Governor-General of Libya, Commander-inChief of Italian North Africa (ASI),
and the "heir apparent" to Mussolini.
Rise of Fascism: Italy 1919-1925
Balbo the soldier
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In 1896, Balbo was born in Ferrara and was very
politically active from a young age. At only fourteen, he
joined in a revolt in Albania.
As World War I broke out and Italy declared its neutrality,
Balbo supported joining the war on the side of the Allies.
Once Italy entered the war in 1915, Balbo joined the
Italian Royal Army (Regio Esercito Italia) and served in
the 8th Alpine (Alpini) Regiment.
After the war, Balbo studied in Florence and obtained a
degree in Social Sciences, then returned to his
hometown to work as a bank clerk.
Rise of Fascism: Italy 1919-1925
Balbo the Blackshirt
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In 1921, Balbo joined the newly created National
Fascist Party (Partito Nazionale Fascista, or
PNF) and soon became a secretary of the
Ferrara Fascist organization.
He began to organize Fascist gangs and formed
his own group nicknamed Celibano. They broke
strikes for local landowners and attacked
communists and socialists in the area. The
group once raided the Estense Castle in
Ferrara.
Rise of Fascism: Italy 1919-1925
A member of the RAS (local
leaders)
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The name "Ras," was
adopted from an Ethiopian
title somewhat equivalent
to a duke. Balbo became
one of the Fascist
hierarchy by 1922,
establishing his local
leadership in the party.
The "Ras" wished for a
more decentralized
Fascist Italian state to be
formed, against
Mussolini's wishes.
Rise of Fascism: Italy 1919-1925
The March on Rome
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At 26, Balbo was the youngest
of the "Quadrumvirs": the four
main planners of the "March on
Rome." The "Quadrumvirs" were
Bianchi (39), De Vecchi (38),
Emilio De Bono (56), and Balbo.
Mussolini himself (39) would
not participate.
In 1923, as one of the
"Quadrumvirs," Balbo became a
founding member of the Grand
Council of Fascism (Gran
Consiglio del Fascismo). This
same year he was charged with
the murder of anti-Fascist parish
priest Giuseppe Minzoni.
Rise of Fascism: Italy 1919-1925
His career after 1924
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A long period of amazing promotion, (an
Air Force Marshall who couldn’t fly?)
culminating in Governor General of Libya
where his plane was shot down by
accident (?) in 1940 at the age of 44.
Many suspect Mussolini’s hand in the
incident, from jealousy at the success of a
talented subordinate.
Rise of Fascism: Italy 1919-1925