Episode 128 - Collateral Damage

The quest for absolute power in Italy was always one on Mussolini's mind, but the Depression forced the Fascists into overdrive. With the economy falling apart, the state swooped in to both clumsily rescue the situation, as well as expanding its hold over the economy. And the crisis in general started opening up very big possibilities for expansion that had otherwise been denied in the 20s.    Bibliography for this episode:  Bosworth, RJB Mussolini's Italy Penguin Group, 2005 Whittam, John Fascist Italy Manchester University Press, 1995 Morgan, Phillip Italian Fascism 1919-1945 St. Martin's Press, 1995 Gooch, John Mussolini and His Generals Cambridge University Press, 2007 Schmitz, David F. The United States and Fascist Italy, 1922-1940 The University of North Carolina Press 1988 Migone, Gian Giacomo The United States and Fascist Italy: The Rise of American Finance in Europe Cambridge University Press 1980   Questions? Comments? Email me at [email protected]