THE MARCH ON ROME
• How did Mussolini become Prime Minister
• The phrase suggests people marching to Rome
and seizing power when they get there.
• What did happen?
The lead-up
• Legacy of disorder from WW1 – Fiume and the Bienno Rosso.
• General disorder from Socialists fighting the squadristri.
Government can’t cope.
• Mussolini gets 7% of the vote in 1921
• Mussolini offers a truce with the Socialists – Pact of pacification.
• Mussolini drops anticlericalism republicalism and other left wing
policies.
• Socialists call a general strike - failure.
• Mussolini calls for the overthrow of the Government in Naples –
warrant for his arrest.
• Several towns in Northern Italy seized by the Ras. Italo Balbo in
Ferrara, Dino Grandi in Bologna and Roberto Farinacci in Cremona
• The Bonomi government collapses to be replaced by Luigi Facta
The process
• 10,000 squadristi are marching on Rome led by the
Quadrumvirs. They don’t get very far.
• Luigi Facta calls for martial law. The King initially
agrees then refuses and Facta walks out
• The King asks Salandra to form a government. Salandra
advises that Mussolini become foreign minister.
Mussolini turns it down and Salandra can’t get any
support.
• The King offers Mussolini the job of Prime Minister
• Mussolini takes the train from Milan to Rome
• The squads travel by train for a ceremonial march in
Rome with the Army
Why did it happen
• The general state of Italy
• The threat of violence from the squads
• Incompetence cowardice and disunity from
the King, Facta and Salandra
• The socialists and PPI let it happen
• Mussolini had the backing of big business, the
Church and elements in the Army
• Mussolini was clever.
GENERAL DE BONO