Benito Mussolini

Benito Mussolini (1883-1945) was the fascist dictator of Italy during World War II. He was an ally of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany and, along with Hitler, co-founded the Axis. Although initially wary of his ally, Hitler, Mussolini nonetheless led his country into war in 1940. Three years later, Mussolini was deposed at the Grand Council of Fascism, prompted by the Allied invasion. He was rescued from incarceration by German officer Otto Skorzeny, and attempted to rebuild a powerbase in the unoccupied parts of Italy. He was captured and summarily executed by Communist Italian partisans. His body was hung upside down at a petrol station for public viewing and to provide confirmation of his demise.

Benito Mussolini in Worldwar
Benito Mussolini supported Adolf Hitler's wars with the Soviet Union, the United States, and Britain.

In the spring of 1942, Mussolini was overthrown when the Race's Conquest Fleet overran Italy. Mussolini collaborated with the Race, leading the members of the Big Five to call for his assassination despite Joachim von Ribbentrop's halfhearted attempt to speak on his behalf. However, Mussolini was instead liberated by a daring SS raid commanded by Otto Skorzeny. He was taken to Germany and ultimately found himself in the United States in 1943, where he travelled with Dwight Eisenhower, Albert Einstein, Robert Goddard, Sam Yeager, Ullhass, and Ristin. His propaganda broadcasts did much to hurt the Race's efforts.

Literary Comment
Mussolini's fate after Striking the Balance is unclear.

Benito Mussolini in In the Presence of Mine Enemies
Benito Mussolini was the first Duce of Italy. He joined with Adolf Hitler in defeating Britain and the Soviet Union during the Second World War, earning Italy a substantial Mediterrean and Middle Eastern empire. His successors used the title "Duce".

Benito Mussolini in The War That Came Early
Benito Mussolini was a cautious ally of Adolf Hitler in the lead-up to the 1938 Munich Conference. Hitler more openly admired Mussolini, although he was frustrated by Mussolini's instransigence on military issues. Mussolini had staunchly supplied the Spanish Nationalists of José Sanjurjo, however.

Mussolini was present when Colonel Friedrich Hossbach announced that Sudeten German leader Konrad Henlein had been assassinated. Mussolini was initially concerned that Hitler had been responsible, but Hitler truthfully assured Mussolini that he'd had no part of Henlein's assassination. When Hitler announced that he intended to use Henlein's death as a casus belli against Czechoslovakia, Mussolini insisted that Italy was not ready for a war with Britain and France, who were pleged to aid Czechoslovakia. Hitler pressed him to enter the war nonetheless, arguing in part that neither Britain nor France were in the position to fight either.

Italy did join the war officially, but did not participate beyond allocating troops to Spain as part of a joint attack on British positions in Gibraltar. For the first year of the war, Germany carried most of the offensive against the Allies. Indeed, by mid-1939, Italy wasn't even aiding the Spanish Nationalists.

Thus, by 1940, the only consistent action Italy was involved in was a fight with Britain in Somaliland and Abyssinia. The "big switch" came a few months later.

Trivia
Mussolini was fairly fluent in English, French, and did well in German. Thus, he could speak to Neville Chamberlain, Edouard Daladier, and Hitler without a translator. Hitler envied Mussolini's multilingual skill.

Benito Mussolini in Southern Victory
Benito Mussolini was an Italian politician after the Great War. He made the famous campaign promise that he would make the trains run on time. Despite the attractiveness of this promise, he was never elected to high office.