The Rise and Fall of Fascism in Italy, c1911-46 | Edexcel A-Level History (9HI0)

The Rise and Fall of Fascism in Italy, c1911-46

156 questions
16 subtopics
Paper 2: the depth study, one option of sixteen
Paper 2

A Paper 2 depth study of Italy from the Libyan war to the founding of the republic, covering the weaknesses of the liberal state, the crisis that followed the First World War, Mussolini's rise and the building of the dictatorship, the fascist relationship with the monarchy, business and the Church, and the foreign policy that destroyed the regime..

It covers italy in the early twentieth century, giolitti’s government in 1911, growing instability, 1912–14, impact of the First World War, challenges to the Liberal State, mussolini and the development of fascism, 1919–22, mussolini gains power, 1920–22, the creation of a fascist dictatorship, 1922–26, consent and control, relationship with political and economic interests, economic policies, relationship with the Catholic Church, italy’s international standing in 1935, foreign policy, 1935–40, impact of the Second World War, 1940–43 and democracy restored, 1943–46.

Sample questions from The Rise and Fall of Fascism in Italy, c1911-46

Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.

Italy in the early twentieth century

What economic problems faced Italy?

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Late industrialisation confined to the north west, chronic rural poverty, illiteracy, a weak internal market and dependence on imported coal.
Growing instability, 1912–14

What was the outcome of the Libyan war?

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Italy won Libya and the Dodecanese, but the campaign proved longer and costlier than expected and resistance continued for years.
Challenges to the Liberal State

What was the 'mutilated victory'?

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The nationalist grievance that Italy had gained little from the war despite its heavy sacrifices.
Mussolini gains power, 1920–22

What was Mussolini's dual policy?

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Legality and violence together: negotiating in parliament and courting the king and the church while the squads terrorised the localities.
Consent and control

What were the racial laws of 1938?

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Anti-semitic decrees excluding Jews from many jobs and banning mixed marriages, influenced by Nazi Germany.
Economic policies

What were Mussolini's early economic policies?

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Orthodox and liberal under De Stefani: reduced state spending, tax cuts, privatisation and free trade, which coincided with a European recovery.
Italy’s international standing in 1935

What was the Corfu Incident?

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Mussolini's bombardment and occupation of the island in 1923 after the murder of Italian officials, which he abandoned under pressure but presented as a triumph.
Impact of the Second World War, 1940–43

Why did Italy stay out of the war in 1939?

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Mussolini told Hitler Italy lacked raw materials and equipment, and declared non-belligerence rather than admit it was unable to fight.

The 16 subtopics

One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.

Subtopic	What it covers	Questions
Italy in the early twentieth century	Recall questions on the political system and the narrow franchise, economic weakness, the north-south divide, emigration, the Church's hostility, and rising nationalism.	10
Giolitti’s government in 1911	Recall questions on how Giolitti managed parliament, his handling of the socialists and the Church, the Gentiloni Pact, trasformismo, and why the system broke down.	10
Growing instability, 1912–14	Recall questions on the Libyan war and its political effect, the franchise reform of 1912, Red Week, the growth of nationalism, and how fragile Italy was in 1914.	10
Impact of the First World War	Recall questions on the intervention crisis, the secret Treaty of London, the cost of the fighting, Caporetto, and the social and political effects.	10
Challenges to the Liberal State	Recall questions on what Italy gained at the peace, the mutilated victory, D'Annunzio at Fiume, the post-war economic crisis, and the Biennio Rosso.	9
Mussolini and the development of fascism, 1919–22	Recall questions on his background, the founding of the Fasci and their radical first programme, the failure of 1919, the squadristi, and who paid them.	10
Mussolini gains power, 1920–22	Recall questions on the dual policy, Giolitti's national bloc, the failed general strike of 1922, what actually happened at the March on Rome, and the king's refusal to sign.	10
The creation of a fascist dictatorship, 1922–26	Recall questions on the Acerbo Law, the election of 1924, the murder of Matteotti, the Aventine Secession, and the leggi fascistissime.	10
Consent and control	Recall questions on education and the youth movements, the Dopolavoro, control of the press, the cult of il Duce, and how far indoctrination succeeded.	9
Relationship with political and economic interests	Recall questions on the monarchy and why it was kept, the conservative elites, the podesta, party and state, the Grand Council, and what industrialists gained.	10
Economic policies	Recall questions on the early liberal phase, the Battle for the Lira and the Battle for Grain, the Corporate State, the response to the Depression, and the IRI.	9
Relationship with the Catholic Church	Recall questions on the retreat from anticlericalism, the Lateran Pacts, the dispute over Catholic Action, Pius XI's position, and the response to the racial laws.	10
Italy’s international standing in 1935	Recall questions on Mussolini's aims, the Corfu Incident, his caution in the 1920s, the Austrian crisis of 1934, and the Stresa Front.	10
Foreign policy, 1935–40	Recall questions on why Mussolini invaded Abyssinia and what it cost him abroad, intervention in Spain, the Rome-Berlin Axis, and why the Pact of Steel proved a trap.	9
Impact of the Second World War, 1940–43	Recall questions on why Italy entered in 1940, the failures in France, Greece and North Africa, the loss of East Africa, and Mussolini's removal.	10
Democracy restored, 1943–46	Recall questions on the armistice and German occupation, the Republic of Salo, the partisan resistance, the Allied role, and the referendum of 1946.	10

The Rise and Fall of Fascism in Italy, c1911-46 is 156 of the 6,832 questions in the guide.Get the guide, £9

How the guide is worked

Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.

Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.

Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.