Beginning of Fascism and service in World War I Benito Mussolini

mussolini italian soldier, 1917

after being ousted italian socialist party support of italian intervention, mussolini made radical transformation, ending support class conflict , joining in support of revolutionary nationalism transcending class lines. formed interventionist newspaper il popolo d italia , fasci rivoluzionari d azione internazionalista ( revolutionary fasci international action ) in october 1914. nationalist support of intervention enabled him raise funds ansaldo (an armaments firm) , other companies create il popolo d italia convince socialists , revolutionaries support war. further funding mussolini s fascists during war came french sources, beginning in may 1915. major source of funding france believed have been french socialists sent support dissident socialists wanted italian intervention on france s side.

on 5 december 1914, mussolini denounced orthodox socialism failing recognize war had made national identity , loyalty more significant class distinction. demonstrated transformation in speech acknowledged nation entity, notion had rejected prior war, saying:

the nation has not disappeared. used believe concept totally without substance. instead see nation arise palpitating reality before us! ... class cannot destroy nation. class reveals collection of interests—but nation history of sentiments, traditions, language, culture, , race. class can become integral part of nation, 1 cannot eclipse other.

the class struggle vain formula, without effect , consequence wherever 1 finds people has not integrated proper linguistic , racial confines—where national problem has not been resolved. in such circumstances class movement finds impaired inauspicious historic climate.

mussolini continued promote need of revolutionary vanguard elite lead society. no longer advocated proletarian vanguard, instead vanguard led dynamic , revolutionary people of social class. though denounced orthodox socialism , class conflict, maintained @ time nationalist socialist , supporter of legacy of nationalist socialists in italy s history, such giuseppe garibaldi, giuseppe mazzini, , carlo pisacane. italian socialist party , support of orthodox socialism, claimed failure member of party revitalize , transform recognize contemporary reality revealed hopelessness of orthodox socialism outdated , failure. perception of failure of orthodox socialism in light of outbreak of world war not solely held mussolini; other pro-interventionist italian socialists such filippo corridoni , sergio panunzio had denounced classical marxism in favor of intervention.

these basic political views , principles formed basis of mussolini s newly formed political movement, fasci rivoluzionari d azione internazionalista in 1914, called fascisti (fascists). @ time, fascists did not have integrated set of policies , movement small, ineffective in attempts hold mass meetings, , regularly harassed government authorities , orthodox socialists. antagonism between interventionists, including fascists, versus anti-interventionist orthodox socialists resulted in violence between fascists , socialists. opposition , attacks anti-interventionist revolutionary socialists against fascists , other interventionists violent democratic socialists opposed war such anna kuliscioff said italian socialist party had gone far in campaign of silencing freedom of speech of supporters of war. these hostilities between fascists , revolutionary socialists shaped mussolini s conception of nature of fascism in support of political violence.

mussolini became ally irredentist politician , journalist cesare battisti and—like him—entered army , served in war. sent zone of operations injured explosion of grenade.

the inspector general continued:

he promoted rank of corporal merit in war . promotion recommended because of exemplary conduct , fighting quality, mental calmness , lack of concern discomfort, zeal , regularity in carrying out assignments, first in every task involving labor , fortitude.

mussolini s military experience told in work diario di guerra. overall, totaled 9 months of active, front-line trench warfare. during time, contracted paratyphoid fever. military exploits ended in 1917 when wounded accidentally explosion of mortar bomb in trench. left @ least 40 shards of metal in body. discharged hospital in august 1917 , resumed editor-in-chief position @ new paper, il popolo d italia. wrote there positive articles czechoslovak legions in italy.

on 25 december 1915, in treviglio, contracted marriage fellow countrywoman rachele guidi, had borne him daughter, edda, @ forlì in 1910. in 1915, had son ida dalser, woman born in sopramonte, village near trento. legally recognized son on 11 january 1916.