Lucios opening description 74 years ago today, Italy made its greatest historical mistake by entering World War II. This is the original speech with which Mussolini announced Italys entry into the conflict on the wrong side of it. Its a fascinating historical document, showing how professionally crafted propaganda can sway the masses. Aerial shots of crowded city squares make it look as though there was broad, enthusiastic support. Patriotic music blares in the background. Flags fly in the breeze as the sun shines over Italys bright future. For those who speak Italian, Mussolinis words are very interesting. He is saying how plutocratic Western democracies had been hindering the progress of Italy and keeping it away from the oceans, and now proletarian Italy was fighting back. He was referring to the sanctions imposed on Italy for its colonial capture of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia, and whipping up a sense of outrage for the injustice supposedly perpetrated against Italy by the Western powers. Unfortunately, he did have a point in the sense that England and France, who were criticizing Italys colonial adventures, had huge colonial empires of their own which they had no intention of giving up. France controlled a full quarter of the African continent (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Chad, Niger, Gabon, Cameroon, the CAR, Congo Brazzaville and I am sure I am forgetting something). England had the largest colonial empire in history (the whole Indian subcontinent, big chunks of Africa and the Middle East...and the allegiance of the Commonwealth). So, Mussolini is asking, why are they keeping US from developing our own? They are being hypocrites! He is projecting himself as an anti-elitist, protector of the little guys. Sound familiar? Of course, nothing could have been further from the truth. His policies were the original right wing, pro-capitalist and anti-union. He just wanted a bigger seat at the table of the powerful, and the little guys who supported him against their own interests ended up dying by the millions. Despite his apparent self-confidence, Mussolini had made a monumental miscalculation. He had grossly overestimated Hitlers strength and underestimated his craziness. He thought they would just kick some rear end in Europe, put England and France in their places and seat at the table among the winners. He was expecting no more than a year of war. He did NOT expect Hitlers insane decision to invade the USSR, Pearl Harbor or the USA entering the war. Three and a half years later, almost to the day, September 8, 1943, a defeated Italy signed the Armistice of Cassibile. Mussolini was arrested and the king prepared to flee. Italy broke up into two halves: the South and Center with the Allies and the North with the fascists. Hitler rescued Mussolini from jail with a daring paratrooper raid and re-installed him in Northern Italy. Another year and a half later, both Mussolini and Hitler were dead. The king of Italy was exiled for life, and all the beautiful cities seen in this video lay in ruins. Lessons for todays little guys: beware of propaganda and of right wing characters presenting themselves as your defenders. Lessons for the superpower of today (i.e., US): dont be caught in hypocrisy, using double standards for your own behavior and that of others. Dont be arrogant. That gives would-be dictators a great excuse to whip up anti-American support at home.... Lesson for all of us: Learn history, and have a LONG memory span, not just the last couple of weeks.
Posted on: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 19:40:07 +0000
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