Benito Mussolini, an Italian politician, journalist, and dictator, emerged as the founder and leader of the Fascist movement. Born in 1883, Mussolini's rise to power mirrored the turbulent political climate of post-World War I Italy. Exploiting nationalistic sentiments and disillusionment with the established order, he founded the National Fascist Party in 1921. Mussolini's ideology, known as Fascism, espoused authoritarianism, ultra-nationalism, and economic corporatism. Through skillful manipulation, he gained popular support and in 1922, led his Blackshirts on a "March on Rome" that culminated in his appointment as Prime Minister. Mussolini's regime introduced a totalitarian dictatorship characterized by the suppression of dissenting voices, the militarization of society, and the pursuit of aggressive foreign policies. His alliances with Nazi Germany and Japan ultimately resulted in Italy's involvement in World War II, leading to Mussolini's downfall and execution in 1945.
