Allow me start off with stating that I am in no way a proponent or even an apologist for the man or his regime, I only wish to play ‘Devils Advocate’ here.
But supposing that during the state visit in ‘37 to Germany Mussolini takes a personnel dislike to Hitler and his entourage and so in turn there is no ‘Pact of Steel’ as far as Italy is concerned.
Italy does not enter the war on the axis side and Mussolini pursues a modified version of his empire building, so baring accidents and assassination attempts Mussolini maintains his position and survives into old age (staying well clear of certain petrol stations).
If so would history now look upon him as the man who saved Italy, a great international statesman and strong man of Europe taking his place next to De Gaulle, Churchill, Roosevelt etc..... as a respected world leader. Would fascism as a political force be more acceptable today (with Nazism still remaining the force of evil).
Could Mussolini even become a major player in post war Europe, becoming a key American ally in the Mediterranean against the communists, even become a prime mover in NATO.
The reason behind this post is that I couldn’t help but notice that the third main fascist dictator from the 30’s General Franco managed to stay out of the war (on the whole) and concentrate purely on Spanish issues leading to a successful (from his point of view) career well onto the seventies.
In this scenario I could genuinely see Mussolini and Kennedy standing side by side ‘the elder statesman and the young president’ on the balcony of the Palazzo Venezia.
Any thoughts?