alternatehistory.com

I will begin this timeline, officially called Giovinezza, which depicts a POD in 1933 with Italy starting to modernize and change doctrine, and effectively leading to a strong Fascist Italy. Here is an introduction...

Introduction


Fascism is a religion. The twentieth century will be known in history as the century of Fascism.
-Benito Mussolini

Excerpt from Century of Fascism: by John Hill, Professor of Italian History for the State University of New York

The century of fascism, as described by Duce Benito Mussolini, is a religion. The Catholic Church during the Middle Ages had the entire population of Europe devoted to it. Every waking moment of the lives of the people of Europe were dedicated to the Church, and the Church alone. Fascism is exactly like the Church, even a church in its own right. The people were entirely dedicated to the religion of the state, in some sort of euphoria. They, without question, followed the words of the Duce without hesitation, whether it be right, or in many cases in fascist Italy, wrong. The worship of the state allowed the fascists to maintain power, allowed for the rise of the Italian Empire, and allowed for the rise of a political dynasty which was one of the central figures in world politics in the 20th Century, and now, even in the 21st Century.

It took some time for fascism to evolve from a simple small ideology in Italy, created by a man who seemed to be at best a comedic clown who wanted the then far fetched dream of reviving the old Roman Empire. When he became Prime Minister in 1922, and Head of State in 1925, he was seen as a joke by many internationally, making exaggerated hand movements to gain the attention of many millions worldwide. When the Fascist Revolution of 1935 however occurred, he became one of the most powerful figures on the world stage. Mussolini went from a clown to a god overnight because of the events which allowed him to. The death of a King allowed him to gain more power, and the death of a son allowed his party to dominate all of Italy, and the Mediterranean, and the sparking of a World War allowed for the conquest of others.

The Rise and Fall of the Italian Empire is perhaps one of the most dynamic events of the century. While the days of Benito Mussolini, Galeazzo Ciano, and Bruno Mussolini are over, and their Empire now a shadow of its former self, without the Empire, the world would not be in the situation it was in today. Fascism would not have flourished for nearly eighty years, and still held on until today in many countries. From the Spanish Civil War, all the way to World War II, and the Great Cold War, Italy held a dominating role. The three superpowers of the Twentieth Century, the United States, the Italian Empire, the British Empire, and the Soviet Union, all would be perhaps remembered as key players in an epic play that Italy played the star role in.

Mussolini, however, like predecessors, followed history, and learned not to make the mistakes of the past, but like all world leaders, he even made a blunder, which perhaps did his undoing.
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