Mussolini's Italy: Life Under the Fascist Dictatorship, 1915-1945

Mussolini's Italy: Life Under the Fascist Dictatorship, 1915-1945
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Mussolini's Italy: Life Under the Fascist Dictatorship, 1915-1945
R. J. B. Bosworth
Manufacturer: Penguin Press HC, The
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Fall of Mussolini: Italy, the Italians, and the Second World War
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Where's Mussolini???

Tumultuous Time: Italy 1943-1945

The Fall of Mussolini: Italy, the Italians, and the Second World War
Philip Morgan
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 019280247X

Book Description

The dramatic story of Mussolini's fall from power in July 1943, illuminating both the causes and the consequences of this momentous event. Morgan shows how Italians of all classes coped with the extraordinary pressures of wartime living, both on the military and home fronts, and how their experience of the country at war eventually distanced them from the dictator and his fascist regime. Looking beyond Mussolini's initial fall from power, Morgan examines how the Italian people responded to the invasion, occupation, and division of their country by Nazi German and Anglo-American forces - and how crucial the experience of this period was in shaping Italy's post-war sense of nationhood and transition to democracy.

Customer Reviews:

Where's Mussolini???.......2007-07-26

There is very little in this book about Mussolini. There is maybe one page on the Facsist Council meeting of July 25, 1943, and one page on his death in April 1945. Most of the book is filled with activities of the partisans and the general mood of the Italian people from the September 1943 armistice until the end of April 1945. The author recounts obscure partisan events in obscure places to make generalizations about Italy during the late war period (boring). Mussolini is at best a bit player in this book. For readers interested in learning about the fall of Mussolini and the Italian Fascist system, you will need to look elsewhere.

Tumultuous Time: Italy 1943-1945.......2007-07-21

"The Fall of Mussolini" covers the tumultuous period in Italy from roughly the removal of Mussolini from power in July 1943 (much to to the surprise of many, by then King of Italy, etc., Victor Emmanuel III, after Italy's fortunes in the war turned) to his execution in April 1945 after he returns as a puppet of the Nazi Empire in September 1943. There is, of course, explanatory material on events ocurring before July 1943 and after April 1945 but the primary focus of the book is on this brief span and an attempt to explain how it led to Italy's shift from a pre-war pro-Fascist government to a post-war democracy (after abolition of the monarchy by nationwide referendum in 1946 despite the King's abdication shortly beforehand on May 9, 1946, coincidentally almost a year to the day that Germany had surrendered).

The author's purpose is really twofold: (1) to debunk the myth generated by the Italian government(s), people, and historians after World War II that Italy was completely anti-Fascist during World War II with a resistance movement impeding and countering Mussolini's (and later Hitler's) every move; and (2) to present a social history of this turbulent period by showing the extraordinary pressures, risks, and decisions many Italians went through in an ever shifting political and military landscape.

By the time the war ended Italy was in chaos as a result not only of the military struggles and invasions on two fronts (the Germans invading to occupy northern Italy and the Allies invading southern Italy first as conquerors, then as colloborators) but also by sectional political fighting among hard-core Italian Fascists, anti-Fascist rebels, Monarchists, Communists, and others that resembled civil wars.

Overall, it is an interesting look at this aspect of World War II, particularly from the vantage point (and eyewitness accounts) of those who lived through it.

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Fairly thorough account of Il Duce's life
A Priceless Historical Account By Il Duce Himself
If you want to know this man, look no further!!!!!!!!!
Simply the Best
Intriguing history, but little theory.

My Rise and Fall
Benito Mussolini , and Max Ascoli
Manufacturer: Da Capo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0306808641

Customer Reviews:

Fairly thorough account of Il Duce's life.......2007-10-15

This book is a combination of several primary sources related directly to Benito Mussolini. The first "My Rise" was Mussolini's account of how he came to power in Italy. It has its uses but the reader should be ware that it does omit several parts of his rise to power and it is worth keeping a good Mussolini biography close at hand to compare the account with. "My Fall" is a compilation of about a dozen articles penned by Mussolini about the time that occurred from the Grand Council meeting to the establishment of the Salo Republic. Overall these provide an interesting look into Mussolini's mind and a chance to understand what he considered important in his life. The accounts are well written and Mussolini does an excellent job of recounting the parts he feels are relevant. It is with an eye towards revisionist history but despite that the documents can still be useful. All of the preface and introductions are done by top notch historians and do an excellent job of putting things in perspective.

A Priceless Historical Account By Il Duce Himself.......2005-05-02

This book is actually a compilation of Benito Mussolini's memoirs set approximately 16 years apart: the first being dated c. 1928 only eight years after his Fascisti 'Black Shirts' had assumed power in Rome by plebescite; the second being dated c. 1944 when the Fascist party in Italy was able to retain power only with Germany's occupation and Mussolini's 'rescue' by German forces.

When it comes to Mussolini, most modern readers immediately compare him to Adolf Hitler even though they understand little of what brought fascism to Italy or why Mussolini was so well received at home and abroad. Contrary to what many believe, Mussolini never had a very high opinion of Adolf Hitler and tried desperately to form a political pact with France/England with regards to Italy's future: Mussolini remained opposed to Hitler because Germany was unified with Italy's arch-enemy, Austria: Mussolini formed the ill-fated axis alliance only at the last minute when he was unable to get the concessions he wanted and Germany formally declared war against France in 1940. It would be his demise as Mussolini and his party would lose power in Italy by 1943 and, instead of the great empire they had promised to the Italian populace, Italy had become a vassal state occupied by the German military: Mussolini himself being nothing more than Hitler's puppet and mouthpiece. Thus, through his memoirs, we can follow how he was a favorite defender of freedom against Boshevism in the 20s and 30s adored by the US and England, to becoming nothing more than Hitler's lapdog by 1943.

This is a very important book where, by his own words, one can measure the man for who he was. Unlike Hitler's rambling anti-semitic diatribe in 'Mein Kampf', Mussolini's papers address purely political and social questions adding with his rather pompous flair that he and his Fascisti are an indispensable to the formation and prosperity of the state. He explains why he was motivated to act and describes the political environment he found himself in fighting the socialist, communist, and capitalist interests in Italy. His memoirs are not only interesting from a historical perspective, but also from a political one in that they provide a lot of insight as to the events that were responsible for the development of fascist doctrines in Europe in that period of time.

If you want to know this man, look no further!!!!!!!!!.......2004-05-15

I will be brief,a man as large as life as Mussolini was , no one but he could write with his vast knowledge of the political turmoil that was slowly tearing Italy apart in the early 1920's.Too bad he came to Italy in the 20th century instead of the 21st!Getting involved with Hitler and his war gives Western writers an opportunity to demean this man.If you take the time to read this you will find the man to be both highly educated and relentless in his faith for the Italian people to move progressively into the 20th century.Buy this book!!!!

Simply the Best.......2003-02-20

one of the best book I have read.
You do not have to agree or disagree with Mr. Mussolini to enjoy this book. Because you can learn a lot about the will power, the determination, and the courage of the man.

Intriguing history, but little theory........2001-12-12

I bought this book on the belief that it would explain to me the very essence of Italian Fascism. Although some important themes and ideas of Mussolini's fascism were discussed, I was disappointed with the lack of detail and expansion. However, I was enthralled by Mussolini's elegant writing style.I found the Duce's view of his own history - however biased - very informing. It gives an intimate view of early 20th century Italy,and in particular, the mood of the Italian people(especially the war veterans). The book's two parts, the first written well before the Second World War and the second during the war, offer a stark comparison of the different outlooks on the world that Mussolini possessed - he was once popular and arrogant, then hated and bitter. The book offers an extraordinary opportunity to take a deep and intimate look inside Mussolini's soul, as well as a thorough - however biased - examination of Fascist Italy. A must for anyone interested in the Duce, Fascism's general themes or World War II in general.

The Gospel According to John I-XII (Anchor Bible Series, Vol. 29)

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A Scholar for the People
Enthusiastically recommended
It is a truly remarkable book
Dissapointed
A solid, insightful and intelligent commentary.

The Gospel According to John I-XII (Anchor Bible Series, Vol. 29)
Raymond E. Brown
Manufacturer: Anchor Bible
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385015178
Release Date: 1966-04-20

Customer Reviews:

A Scholar for the People.......2006-04-06

Raymond Brown is a rare combination of scholar and communicator. Few scholars can talk to ordinary people in an interesting way. This book goes into great detail, looking at almost every word and phrase in the gospel of John. Not only does Brown tell you his theory, but he shares the theories of other scholars. If you have the patience to slow yourself down and let Brown speak to you, you will be greatly rewarded with insight. If you have the time to reflect on what you read, you will be twice blessed. There may be more here than you want to know. I have just come to accept the fact that I will not get 10 to 20 percent of what Brown writes. I appreciate that though. He forces me to extend my mind. I would not expect anything less from the world's greatest authority on John.

Enthusiastically recommended.......2005-03-09

I have a particular fondness for two volumes of Raymond Brown' s commentary on John. There are like old friends that I have returned to over and over again through the years. They have been consistent and reliable and I appreciate both Brown's scholarly as well as pastoral view points.

The gospel of John presents a particular challenge to the interpreter. It is very different from the "synoptic" gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke). It doesn't follow the same dramatic outline and Jesus' words in John often seen so different from the first three gospels. And yet John has remained one ofthe most beloved gospels for laypeople and pastors alike.

It takes a sensitive scholar to weave through the complexities of this gospel without simply discarding everything as un-collaborated material (since it's not in the other gospels). Raymond Brown was such a scholar and this two-volume gem remains some of the best Johannine scholarship in our lifetime (I would include Bultmann in that small group as well).

True to the Anchor Bible format, Brown gives an exceptional, extensive Introduction that covers may of the historical, literary and theological challenges that confront the interpreter. The commentary section itself presents both a detailed analysis of the given text and a more broad interpretation section. Knowledge of the original Greek language is not necessary. To young pastors, students, church libraries, and even interested laypeople, I enthusiastically recommend this commentary.

It is a truly remarkable book.......2004-07-15

If you had to by one scholarly Commentary on the gospel of John, this is it. It is a truly remarkable book. What makes this commentary so good is that it appeals both to the scholarly and pastoral user. Let me explain. Many scholarly commentaries deal almost exclusively with issues of textual and form criticism. While helpful to the scholar, it just does not preach. While pastoral commentaries deal with preaching themes, they often lack scholarly insight into the text. Raymond Brown gives us the best of both. This is one commentary that stands the test of time.

Dissapointed.......2002-12-27

I have searched for months for a good commentary on the Gospel of John and it looks like the search continues. I got it based on the reviews I have seen on the book from readers. I guess its different strokes for different folks. I am more of a greek and indepth detials on new testament words. My type of commentary is the classic on Jude&Peter by Bauckham. I didn't get that type of exegesis from Brown.

A solid, insightful and intelligent commentary........2000-10-07

Raymond Brown is an incredible scholar and has presented one of the finest commentaries written on the gospel according to John. Both introductory notes and main commentary are fluid and reveal significant insight. The book is an absolute pleasure to read regardless of theological persuation and one does not get worn out with overly technical information found in other commentaries of this caliber.

Mussolini's Italy: Life Under the Fascist Dictatorship, 1915-1945

Average customer rating:

Well researched and analyzed work
Well-written, except for political commentary
Fascinating, yet heavily flawed, and somewhat dishonest.
A good start but needs some more
Excellent

Mussolini's Italy: Life Under the Fascist Dictatorship, 1915-1945
R. J. B. Bosworth
Manufacturer: Penguin Press HC, The
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1594200785

Book Description

From one of the greatest historians in the field, a vivid, brilliant history of Fascist Italy, rulers and ruled

life the period in which Italians participated in one of the twentieth century's largest, most notorious, and ultimately most ruinous political experiments-Fascism-under their dictator, Benito Mussolini, and his henchmen. The Fascists were the first totalitarians, and they provided a model for many other twentieth-century dictatorships, Hitler's first among them.

A regime based on a cult of violence and obedience, Fascism made immense demands on its subjects, killing many within Italy and its empire and ruining the lives of more. And yet one of R.J.B. Bosworth's most striking accomplishments is to show the gap that yawned between rhetoric and reality. Mussolini's Italy is lumped together with Hitler's Germany as a nightmarish totalitarian state that brutally reengineered an entire society. In fact, Bosworth argues, Fascism, though monstrous enough, had a far shallower impact on Italy because Italy was still such a traditional, undeveloped country, organized around family, tribe, and region, and because Italy's leaders were less ruthlessly ideological than the Nazis. Italians found many and ingenious ways of adapting, limiting, undermining, and ridiculing Mussolini's ambitions for them. The heart of this book is its engagement with the life of these ordinary Italians, struggling through terrible times.

Customer Reviews:

Well researched and analyzed work.......2007-08-26

Bosworth covers a broad topical spectrum, including the historic, social, and political conditions that fostered fascism in Italy; insights into its political doctrine vs. actual application; character studies on its principal figures; and contrasts of it to both Italian Liberalism and German Nazism.

Overall, this book provides a great critical analysis of one 20th century Italy's more enigmatic political movements.

Well-written, except for political commentary.......2007-07-29

Professor Bosworth puts together a well-balanced look at the development of Italy's Fascist Party and its subsequent takeover of Italy. While arguing that Mussolini was far from innocent, Bosworth does show that he was considerably less malignant than either Hitler or Stalin. For instance, Mussolini did not create anything approaching the horrors of Auschwitz. Moreover, he shows how, unlike those other 2 dictators, Mussolini never established a truly totalitarian state (despite his boasting to the contrary). For instance, the Catholic Church remained as a leading institution within Italian society, and did not always toe the Fascist line. The same thing applies to the Italian monarchy (although Bosworth does not present King Victor Emmanuel III in a positive light). Moreover, he makes a convincing case that the Rome-Berlin Axis was clearly a marriage of unequals, with Italy playing the role of a very junior partner (apparently, Italians did not figure highly in the Nazi racial hierarchy). Even though "national characteristics" are no longer en vogue among historians, I got the impression from this book that Italians were somehow culturally incapable of establishing a genuinely totalitarian state, not to mention one that would seek to create any sort of "new world order." Bosworth also peppers the book with references to Italian Jews who were somewhat active in the Fascist Party. This is obviously a striking contrast to the situation in Nazi Germany. On a more critical note, I wish that Bosworth would have given more attention to the issue of "Italia Irredentia" as a function of Mussolini's foreign policy. After all, the Paris Peace Conference did not resolve this issue in Italy's favor (as it had created Yugoslavia out of much of that territory). Why didn't Mussolini attempt to grab this territory before undertaking a far more costly invasion of Ethiopia? After all, Yugoslavia during this period was a rather unstable nation, in jeopardy of coming apart due to increased ethnic tensions. This would have been interesting to read about. In addition, I found Bosworth's random references to contemporary politics unnecessary. He should have focused all of his energy on his title subject.

Fascinating, yet heavily flawed, and somewhat dishonest........2007-07-02

I have had considerable interest in fascist Italy for about six years now, so finding this book was absolutely thrilling to me. I thought it would provide a balanced and unflinching look at fascist Italy, relying on factual reporting that was not influenced by opinions. In fact, there is some extent to which this is the case; massive amounts of fantastic research that demonstrates tremendous experience and knowledge, and the number of personal stories is simply staggering. Great gaps remain, however. In reading other books and sources, one comes across many of the same things Bosworth discusses, such as shoddy economic planning, meaningless projects, corruption, and shallow propaganda. On the other hand, one also encounters the fourth largest navy in the world, recreational camps that considerably bolstered national fitness and inspired Hitlers phenomenal Strength Through Joy program, armored corps that were innovative and, in fact, quite effective, and an air force that made unrecognized but significant contributions to the axis war effort. Other elements of Bosworth's book seem under emphasized. Progress against malaria, economic expansion into Libya and Ethiopia, and the extent to which Fascist Italy exhausted itself fighting in Spain are all mentioned, but, despite comprising a huge amount of attention for the regime, are not given more than a bit of documentation. Instead, we are treated to a book full of proofs that fascism was only skin deep, a fact that becomes evident in any ideology or government once the odds are clearly against it. That the odds would be against Italy is, of course, a foregone conclusion. Italy was a country that was, by comparison, little effected by the great depression , yet still had an eighth the radios and cars of great Britain, and no radar and other crucial technologies. Of course, Bosworth's comparisons to Liberal Italy are appreciated, but he still discusses Italy's inherent weaknesses far too little. Of course, Bosworth was not attempting to explain why Italy lost the Second World War so badly, but many of Fascist Italy's weaknesses were made manifest in those years, and simply would not have been had, for example, Italy's investment in Franco paid off with a Spanish ally, cutting off Egypt, Greece, and Yugoslavia thanks to Gibraltar and probably winning the Axis the war.

It is Bosworth's ignorance of and lack of attention to warfare that is the most serious flaw in my mind, especially given that this was by far the most emphasized point of the state that Bosworth studies. Bosworth simply briefly mentions that the Italian navy (which constituted a huge emphasis in fascist Italy) was shamefully defeated in several battles, his only comments about the Italian navy in the book, which of course go to suggest that Italy was outdated and a paper thin state. Perhaps Bosworth, the faithful student of Italian history, has not heard of the battles of First and Second Sirte, in which Italian naval forces and mine fields savaged their British opposition? Perhaps Bosworth has not heard of British operations Harpoon, Vigorous, Pedestal, and Agreement, all of which were allied supply or offensive attempts thwarted by either Italian or a combination of Italian and German forces, with Italians composing the entire fight at sea (with a handful of U-Boat exceptions) and a significant part of the aerial forces involved? It seems more likely that Bosworth has heard of them, and chose to omit them because they did not support his point. Considering the nature of the book as overwhelmingly disposed to personal stories, and the overwhelming majority of those being anti-fascist in nature, as well as other examples of pick-and-choose reporting (the Italian air force, Italian commercial interests, Italian international relations, Italy's economy) it is difficult for me to accept that Bosworth is in fact providing solid evidence for any solid argument at all. Of course, I would not question the accuracy of his reporting, simply it's bias and probable selectivity. I enjoyed the read, and am glad that it is being written on and remembered, because we should never forget the crimes of Mussolini and the horrors and lies of authoritarianism, but what I already know of Mussolini's Italy leads me to bring serious doubts to any analysis of this book. I would, nevertheless, encourage any interested reader to purchase this; it is enlightening on a number of things, and is a meaty tome, but I find it sad that in refuting the fascist state, an author feels compelled to skew the facts against it, when they should do it themselves.

A good start but needs some more.......2007-03-31

Bosworth in his novel on Mussolini's Italy makes an effort to show how the fascist regime grew within the state and the extent to which it dominated the state. Fascism was not synonymous with Italian nationalism and Bosworth's explanations of the fascist growth lend credence to the idea that it was slow to take on. He categorizes fascism in various states and his most prevalent is the idea of a northern and southern fascism. This book also does an excellent job of showing how Mussolini's regime permeated the Italian state. The fascist ideals did meet significant resistance with the traditional liberals. The tough stance on labor and the opportunities for the church however drew many allies and allowed Mussolini to take power. One of the points lacking here is that the monarchy played a large role in his rise to power. I feel that Bosworth does not address that issue and I would like to have seen it done more.

Overall this is the best attempt we have on fascist Italy however this book could have been done better. It is incredibly ambitious and either should have been broken into two books or made one book longer. There is a lot of information that is glazed over very quickly leaving some holes in the analysis. If you want an introduction to fascist Italy this is a great place to start but I would not stop here. There are many rich ways to explore the topic and looks at Ray Mosley's Mussolini's Shadow or Dennis Mack Smith's biography of Mussolini are great additions. Understanding how the fascist regime impacted the state and the world make for interesting questions and is something anyone studying World War II should not miss.

Excellent.......2006-09-24

This is an ambitious and successful attempt to write the social history of Fascism. Italian Fascism, Bosworth reminds us, controlled Italy for almost a generation, a considerably longer period than the disastrous experiment of Nazi rule of Germany. How was Fascism experienced by Italians? To what extent did Fascism change Italy? What were the essential features of Fascist rule? What were the well springs of Fascism? Bosworth treats all these issues and more in this carefully documented and well written volume. Rather than pursuing these issues topically, Bosworth has organized this book chronologically. He begins with the nature of Liberal Italy and the experience of WWI, moves through the interwar period and the grim events of WWII, concluding with a concise but revealing chapter on postwar fascist movements. He weaves his topical themes into the narrative very well, providing considerable analysis and showing the historically dynamic nature of the Fascist experience. This combination of narrative and analysis is excellent.
Bosworth is particularly concerned with providing a balanced view of Fascist Italy. The Fascist state is often viewed popularly as a comic opera dicatorship. Bosworth shows well that Fascist Italy appears to be relatively benign only by comparison with Nazi Germany or the Stalinist Soviet Union. This oppressive dictatorship destroyed democracy and human rights in Italy, and by Bosworth's reckoning, was ultimately responsible for about 1 million deaths in Italy, the Balkans, and Africa. It was a police state in which millions of Italians were informing on each other, corrupting the quality of public life. At the same time, Bosworth addresses the "totalitarian" nature of the regime, a claim made by the Fascists themselves that they were remaking the Italian people. Due in large part to the actions of Fascist leaders themselves, this claim is shown to be a fraud. Fascist government itself exemplified the reliance on chains of patronage and clientage with its associated corruption typical of Italian society. Mussolini was quite content to compromise with powerful existing institutions like the Monarchy, the Papacy, and the Army. Bosworth shows very well the continuity the Fascist state had with the Liberal state it replaced and indeed, many of the crucial features of Italian Fascism appear to be extensions of some of the worst features of pre-WWI Italy.
Bosworth's work is careful, thoughtful, and presented extremely well.

Average customer rating:

Interesting theory but still hard to vindicate Mussolini
the duce was almost always wrong
a leader who did much harm
Tedious work on a pathetic villian called Mussolini
This book missed by a mile

Mussolini
R. J. B. Bosworth
Manufacturer: A Hodder Arnold Publication
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Mussolini's Italy: Life Under the Fascist Dictatorship, 1915-1945
Mussolini's Italy: Life Under the Fascist Dictatorship, 1915-1945
My Rise and Fall
Mussolini: A New Life
Hitler: 1889-1936 Hubris

ASIN: 0340731443

Book Description

In 1945, disguised in German greatcoat and helmet, Mussolini attempted to escape from the advancing Allied armies. Unfortunately for him, the convoy of which he was part was stopped by partisans and his features, made so familiar by Fascist propaganda, gave him away. Within 24 hours he was executed by his captors, joining those he sent early to their graves as an outcome of his tyranny, at least one million people. He was one of the tyrant-killers who so scarred interwar Europe, but we cannot properly understand him or his regime by any simple equation with Hitler or Stalin. Like them, his life began modestly in the provinces; unlike them, he maintained a traditonal male family life, including both wife and mistresses, and sought in his way to be an intellectual. He was cruel (though not the cruellist); his racism existed, but never without the consistency and vigor that would have made him a good recruit for the SS. He sought an empire; but, in the most part, his was of the old-fashioned, costly, nineteenth century variety, not a racial or ideological imperium. And, self-evidently Italian society was not German or Russian: the particular patterns of that society shaped his dictatorship. Bosworth's Mussolini allows us to come closer than ever before to an appreciation of the life and actions of the man and of the political world and society within which he operated. With extraordinary skill and vividness, drawing on a huge range of sources, this biography paints a picture of brutality and failure, yet one tempered with an understanding of Mussolini as a human being, not so different from many of his contemporaries.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting theory but still hard to vindicate Mussolini.......2007-09-01

RJ Bosworth makes an interesting attempt at writing a positive biography of Mussolini. This book does a decent job of summarizing parts of the Duce's life but does jump around quite a bit. Many of the things that make this book useful are in relation to how it reacts to other biographies and accounts of Mussolini. Bosworth glazes over many of the foreign policy decisions which are where so many other biographies are highly critical of Mussolini. It is noteworthy to try and write a biography that puts Mussolini in a different light and when combined with Dennis Mack Smith's biography of Mussolini (which is pretty negative) the reader can get a great sense of Mussolini himself. Bosworth is one of the premiere Italian historians and his work is always insightful and well done. The only compliant I have with this book is the jumping around and skipping over areas. The Brenner Pass meeting is not covered in this book and that is one of the pivotal moments in Mussolini's life and Italian history. I still would recommend this book through as long as it is being read with other sources to get a more complete picture.

the duce was almost always wrong.......2006-09-07

Richard Bosworth is an academic specialized in modern Italian history, who improbably teaches at the University of Western Australia. After reading his spin-off of this book, I decided to read this book.

Bosworth doesn't disappoint with this exceptionally well-written biography of one of the more unpleasant individuals to rule Italy. Anyone who was expelled from school for knifing a fellow student, who accepted foreign money for influencing his country's politics towards bringing it into a disastrous war, who didn't shy from using violence and murder to advance his political ends, who openly and flagrantly dishonored his marital vows, who used racial and religious animosities for political ends, and under whose command poison gas was used against Ethiopians cannot be a statesman, and ought have no place in politics. In this book the strong impression arises that Bosworth went out of his way to be fair to the "duce" but that there just was little that was flattering to be said for him. However, when Bosworth describes Preston's biography of Franco as "authoritative," and compares him to the other unelected European leaders of his time, I am not persuaded that Bosworth was as meticulously fair-minded.

Bosworth describes himself as a proud product of 1789, and writes that he is quite open to hearing criticisms that his politics color his historiography. I do believe this to be the case: Bosworth is quite willing to describe the pathology of the duce, but doesn't ponder why Italians were willing to tolerate such a loathsome individual as their leader. A possible explanation, whose omission is easily explained by Bosworth's unabashed identification with the fateful year of 1789, is that Italy was not so much a single country, as several countries which had uneasily been united during the Risorgimento. Milan and Turin were completely different from Sicily and Calabria, and the former Papal States between them were yet different again. Perhaps the Italians of his day were initially willing to let a demagogue and thug bind together "the Italies," to use Bosworth's words, because their country was far too heterogeneous to withstand the centrifugal forces democracy can unleash. I believe an approach more along the ideas of Edmund Burke would have far preferable to trying to force 1789 onto a rather fractured country. Better eight solid and slows steps forward than twelve rapid steps forwards and sixteen tortured steps backwards.

Bosworth writes that any historian of Italy must take pains to ensure that he doesn't absorb preconceived notions about Italy, and it is clear that Bosworth does his utmost to avoid this trap. I suspect that it is precisely in this endeavor, that Bosworth comes to the conclusion that if Italy had only been more like other liberal European countries, none of this would have happened. In my opinion, Italy was Italy, because it was different, and it would have been preferable not to try to overcome, but rather to make use of, Italy's differences.

I would strongly recommend this impressively-written and quite sobering look at Mussolini to anyone who can distinguish between Bosworth's laudable historiography and his less authoritative political views.

a leader who did much harm.......2005-12-12

Unlike most biographies, Bosworth's book actually starts from late in Mussolin's life, specifically his last 2 years alive 1944-45 and later resumes with Mussolini's birth and childhood and moves on to his adulthood as a teacher and writer and traces his political beginnings which were actually as a socialist. Later on it describes how Mussolini turned to fascism, gained power, and the prewar years and World War II. I was a little surprised at how much damage Mussolini did to Libya and Ethiopia as well as the magnitude of the killings of the local populations in those areas carried out by the Italians. The book includes a section of photographs as well as maps, footnotes, and bibliography. The last chapter even gives an account of the travels of Mussolini's corpse after he was executed and put on diplay in Milan. As much as this was a biography of Mussolini, it also seemed to be an analysis of fascism as a whole and how much harm that ideology and Mussolini were for Italy and the Italian people, as well as the above mentioned areas of Africa, and Europe. All in all, it was an interesting read, however, one can only pity the Italian people for having to put up with such poor, damaging, and detrimental leadership for such a long time, during an especially critical part of their history. I believe the fact that Mussolini is mentioned in the same breath with such a harmful leader as Hitler is indeed fitting and appropriate.

Tedious work on a pathetic villian called Mussolini.......2004-10-21

This book should have been better edited (to 200 pages), with its numerous typographical errors, and it comes across as more an attempt by the author to show off his knowledge of "Liberal" (pre fascist) Italy (it boggles the novice's mind as to what political beliefs marked one as a Futurist, syndicalist, Giolottian etc) than his insights into Mussolini as a bombastic philanderer, gangster politician, habitual liar, hollow pedant, lifelong coward ( he was discharged from the Army, as a conscript, not war vlounteer, after being wounded in the arse by an accidental grenade explosion in the barracks) and depraved knave.

Packed full of petty details and tedious to the extreme, whilst blissfully ignorant of the wider picture, we are bombarded with rubbish that Mussolini is cultivated in arts, music, philosophy, well versed in journalism, pedagogy,self taught and fluent in English, French and German (instead of being the typical village fool that he is) and that he has been vastly under estimated by contemporaries and historians alike.

The last years of Mussolini are barely covered in the book, which then digresses to random, irrelevant rantings on post war Fascism, and De Felice's monumental rubbish that tries to restore and repair the bruised reputation of Mussolini, as if he ever had one that matteed.

I recommend Denis Mack Smith penetrating and coincise biography on this ass of a man instead.

This book missed by a mile.......2004-04-30

Yet another feeble attempt by a so called authority on the subject to undermine Il Duce.What most of the author misses when he researches this man is he relies heavily on the revisionist version of Italys role in World War 2.What most of these historians fail to realize the grave state of Italy before Fascism came and saved it! The author does the usual run of the mill,low brow,liberal,communist,socialist stabs at Mussolini's life and taking shots at the Italian people as a whole.This is a typical interpretation of a man who tried to stop the flow of the Red tide of the 1920's that was threatening to envelop most of Europe.If you want to really know about Mussolini and Fascist Italy read:Mussolini My Rise and Fall/ Frogmens first battles(about the 10th light Flottila) and Italian Aces of World War 2.I have bought all three of these books from Amazon and they are very accurate with no revisionist slant.These books show the bravery and heroism with which the Italian people fought and died . Too bad more people accept the words of weak willed intellectuals than what the facts really show. AVANTI!!!!! GIOVENZZA!!!!!!

Mussolini: A Dictator Dies (World at War)

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Mussolini: A Dictator Dies (World at War)
G. C. Skipper
Manufacturer: Childrens Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

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ASIN: 0516047906

Hitler's Raid to Save Mussolini: The Most Infamous Commando Operation of World War II

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The Story of a Daring Commando Raid, Well Told
A well researched, insightful book
One Exploit of a Famous Commando

Hitler's Raid to Save Mussolini: The Most Infamous Commando Operation of World War II
Greg Annussek
Manufacturer: Da Capo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0306813963
Release Date: 2005-08-23

Book Description

The first book to tell the incredible story of the most famous German commando operation of World War II-the dramatic and daring rescue of Benito Mussolini

The Allied invasion of Italy pressed on through the summer of 1943, the strutting dictator, Mussolini, was overthrown and imprisoned by his own people in a remote mountaintop resort. Furious at the turn of events, Adolf Hitler, Il Duce's sworn ally, promised to rescue Mussolini and restore the Rome-Berlin Axis.

On September 12, a small convoy of glider aircraft suddenly began crash-landing near the hotel-prison where Mussolini was held and German commandos poured out of the half-wrecked planes. The soldiers quickly overwhelmed the hotel and seized Mussolini, who had watched the drama unfold from a second-story window. "I knew my friend Adolf Hitler would not abandon me," said a grinning Mussolini to his rescuers.

Hitler's rescue of Mussolini was one of the most famous commando operations of the twentieth century and shocked a war-weary world. It was also the dramatic culmination of the bizarre relationship between Hitler and Mussolini-a relationship that had disastrous consequences for the globe.

In this vivid and lively narrative filled with drama, intrigue, action, and some of history's most notorious characters, author Greg Annussek recounts the dramatic story of Germany's secret six-week operation to find and rescue the prisoner Mussolini and restore him to power.

Customer Reviews:

The Story of a Daring Commando Raid, Well Told.......2006-10-08

Otto Skorzeny has long been remembered as the mastermind of the greatest commando raid of World War II, the German rescue of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini from "house arrest" in a remote mountaintop resort known as the Hotel Imperatore. On September 12, 1943, after several weeks of imprisonment by an anti-Mussolini faction of the Italian government airborne commandos landed in gliders, stormed the hotel, and spirited Mussolini away to Berlin. It was a daring raid, one for which Skorzeny gained much acclaim, but certainly not his only such operation. Rightly, author Greg Annussek tells the Skorzeny story, but he goes further by drawing in other important characters in the episode and noting the raid's role in the wider effort of the Second World War.

"Hitler's Raid to Save Mussolini" is a stimulating narrative history. It serves a useful purpose in highlighting "Operation Oak," as it was called, and helps to expand the general audience's knowledge of the subject. To his credit, Annussek delved deeply into the published literature on the subject, and fully references this book, although he does not mine unpublished primary source documents that might have broadened his study. Nonetheless, this is an excellent work, making accessible one of the most exciting commando operations of World War II.

A well researched, insightful book.......2006-01-11

At first I dismissed this book based on several reviews I had seen that seemed to elude to a poorly compiled, misleading story. It is not that at all.

While this book does discuss Skorzeny's role in the Gran Sasso raid, it takes a well researched view of the variety of players involved in the decision, planning and execution of Operation Oak from the times just before Mussolini's downfall up to the end of the war. I found this book to be well researched, with plenty of facts, insights and details presented. I thought the writing style was very comfortable, especially given the sensitivity of World War 2 writing and the shear volume of facts (and speculation) involved.

I whole-heartedly recommend this book to those interested in this famous raid, Fallschirmjagers, Skorzeny, War on the Italian Front, late war politics, and those who like a good factual, adventure story!

One Exploit of a Famous Commando.......2005-09-13

Otto Skorzeny is one of those bigger than life individuals that came out of World War II. Easily the most famous commando type to come out of the war, this book tells the tale of just one of his exploits, the rescue of Mussolini after the Italians had arrested and imprisoned him.

Hitler was furious at the Italians for treating his friend Mussolini this way. The answer was a dramatic rescue by Skorzeny. Called Operation Oak, a hand picked selection of German soldiers flew to the remote hotel where Mussolini was being held and then flew him out of Italy to Germany.

This incident is possibly the best known of Skorzney's exploits. Others include the attack on the Belgian fort Eban Emael, and after the war he broke out of an American POW camp and set up the ODESSA organization to assist in the escape of former SS men to South America.

Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini: Totalitarianism in the Twentieth Century (European History Series (Arlington Heights, Ill.).)

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An insightful overview of the three dictators.

Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini: Totalitarianism in the Twentieth Century (European History Series (Arlington Heights, Ill.).)
Bruce F. Pauley
Manufacturer: Harlan Davidson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 088295993X

Book Description

Like its predecessor, one of the most popular volumes in our European History Series, the second edition of Bruce Pauley's inventive work provides a unique interpretive comparison of the economics, propaganda, culture, and education and healthcare systems of all three forms of European totalitarianism. Punctuated by vivid portraits of the dictators' youths, early careers, personal relationships, management styles, and cults of personality, the second edition of this fascinating book features a greatly expanded photographic essay as well as a consideration of the very latest scholarship. This succinct and adept description of probably the most frightening phenomenon of the twentieth century remains ideal for use in courses on German, European, and World History. Its broad interdisciplinary scope also makes it an excellent choice of supplementary reading for courses in Government, International Relations, economics, sociology, women's studies, and ethics.

Customer Reviews:

An insightful overview of the three dictators........2003-07-15

This is a great overview of Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini. In this book Pauley takes the reader through the evolution of the totalitarian dictators. He starts of by defining the terms under which each ideology fell: Nazism, Marxism-Leninism, and Fascism. From here he shows the reader how each personality gained, maintained and relinquished power. The outline of the chapters adds to readability as well as allowing for comparison and contrast of the three previously mentioned persons. This is an important topic not only to learn about the absolute control that these three wielded, but how they managed to manipulate the masses into not only following them but in some cases actually loving them; as scary as that may seem. There are important lessons to be learned in this study and Pauley has some good insight to get one thinking about them.

Mussolini and the Origins of the Second World War, 1933 - 1940 (The Making of the Twentieth Century)

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Good start but could have used more detail

Mussolini and the Origins of the Second World War, 1933 - 1940 (The Making of the Twentieth Century)
Robert Mallett
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Mussolini Unleashed, 19391941: Politics and Strategy in Fascist Italy's Last War

ASIN: 0333748158

Book Description

This new study re-examines the controversial debate on Fascist Italy's road to international conflict that has raged for six decades. The author's privileged access to until now unseen archival materials allows him to assess the ideological, geopolitical, domestic and strategic considerations that shaped Mussolini's alliance with Hitler, and his subsequent decision to wage war against Great Britain and France in June 1940.

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Good start but could have used more detail .......2007-09-07

This is an interesting book that gives an overview of how Italy fit into the make up of World War II. There are many books like this one that chart how World War II broke out and this brings an interesting perspective by looking at Italy instead of Germany. The book tracks Mussolini's progress from around 1933-41 and shows how the country was set on a course for war. The factors of what caused Italy to head to Germany from Britain could have been flushed out further and while this was well researched it suffered from a lack of detail. The bibliography is one of the most valuable pieces of this book. I would recommend this book to those wanting a brief overview of diplomacy during the world war II era.

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