So I was wondering what are the possibilities of Gabriele D'Annunzio forming a fascist government instead of Mussolini, either before Mussolini's rise to power or substituting him. D'Annunzio was the biggest power of nationalism in Italy after World War 1 and his Impresa di Fiume (his taking over of the city Fiume to make it part of Italy, he held for a year and ran it as a fascist city state) was the biggest fascist move pre-Mossolini and was supported by many nationalism.
Most of the ideas of Italian fascism were in fact created by D'Annunzio, he was the first to use balcony speeches, the marches and most of the ceremonial aspect of it. He also created the Blackguards and many of the members use to be part of D'Annunzio's militia. If it wasn't for a defenestration in 1922, he could have taken control of the fascist movement and brought Italy in a different direction, since there are letters where several leading fascist wanted him to lead the party.
While he was intensely pro expansion and a major supporter of Italian expansion and the war in Ethiopia, there was one issue that he was very different from Mussolini, he was a strong opponent of Hitler and the Nazi's. He wrote and talked to Mussolini several times urging him to not make an alliance with Hitler and was convinced that it would be bad for Italy until his death.
So I have two questions, the first is is it possible for D'Annunzio to become the el Duce instead of Mussalini and I think thats easy, have him stay in politics instead of being thrown out of a window and his incredible popularity, skill in writing (his poetry is still popular in Italy) and the fact that he would have the core of the Blackguard and not Mussolini, I could easily see him take over Mussolini's spot as Prime Minister.
My second question is how would that change the 30's and 40's, a still expansive Italy but one who wouldent support the Nazi's?
Most of the ideas of Italian fascism were in fact created by D'Annunzio, he was the first to use balcony speeches, the marches and most of the ceremonial aspect of it. He also created the Blackguards and many of the members use to be part of D'Annunzio's militia. If it wasn't for a defenestration in 1922, he could have taken control of the fascist movement and brought Italy in a different direction, since there are letters where several leading fascist wanted him to lead the party.
While he was intensely pro expansion and a major supporter of Italian expansion and the war in Ethiopia, there was one issue that he was very different from Mussolini, he was a strong opponent of Hitler and the Nazi's. He wrote and talked to Mussolini several times urging him to not make an alliance with Hitler and was convinced that it would be bad for Italy until his death.
So I have two questions, the first is is it possible for D'Annunzio to become the el Duce instead of Mussalini and I think thats easy, have him stay in politics instead of being thrown out of a window and his incredible popularity, skill in writing (his poetry is still popular in Italy) and the fact that he would have the core of the Blackguard and not Mussolini, I could easily see him take over Mussolini's spot as Prime Minister.
My second question is how would that change the 30's and 40's, a still expansive Italy but one who wouldent support the Nazi's?