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"4- The Unification Of Italy And World War II"

Rome Tourist Guide History  

4- The Unification of Italy and World War II

The unification of Italy once again turned Rome into the nation's capital, but this did not put an end to many of the problems plaguing the eternal city. The situation in the city in the year 1871 was nothing short of precarious. The efforts the pontiffs had invested into adorning Rome with beautiful works of art had not extended into a similar dedication to social and urban needs. The advances that Ancient Rome had made in these areas, advances that had contributed greatly to the city's prestigious place in history, seemed lost in oblivion. It was almost as if they had never happened. Rome limped into the 20^th century, falling far short of the glory that had once made it the centre of the western world.

World War I didn't affect Italy as severely as its neighbours since the country hadn't participated in any significant manner. However, the post-war era witnessed the rise of Benito Mussolini, a man who would forever change the face of the Italian nation. Mussolini was the father of Italian fascism. He baptised his party under its banner, and party members were known and recognised by their now infamous black shirts. Early on, his lack of military experience seemed to endow him with an insatiable ambition, which carried at its core a clear dedication to violence and a totalitarian ideology that didn't tolerate dissent or criticism.

In order to garner the support and trust of the people, Mussolini kept the king in power and set out on a carefully thought-out programme of urban improvements. The urban reforms were largely superficial, mostly improving traffic and sprucing up the appearance of the streets. All the while he quietly but firmly strengthened his hold on Italian politics. Mussolini's ideal was a "modern" city - a dynamic Rome that looked towards the future while preserving and celebrating the symbols of its ancient glory.

The pontiff at the time, Pius XI, saw a valuable ally in Mussolini, and the dictator also realised that a close relation with the Catholic Church could be of great benefit to him. This mutual interest led to the signing of the famous Lateran Treaties in 1929, an act that officially established the Vatican as an independent state with the Pope as its highest authority.

World War II broke out and in 1940 Italy joined the war, siding with Hitler's troops. This would turn out to be one of Mussolini's biggest mistakes, a decision that brought grave consequences with it. Faced with the approaching allied troops, the king arrested Mussolini in an attempt to calm the outraged Italian public. This, however, brought about a change in Hitler's plans, who marched on Rome to free Mussolini and take control of the city. The move didn't go unnoticed by the Allies who returned in kind and began to bomb the city. As luck would have it, the bombings left most of Rome's magnificent art, architecture and antiquities unharmed, thus preserving this historical legacy for many generations to come. The situation would have been far worse had the Germans retaliated, but Hitler desisted and Rome was spared even greater destruction.

On June 4^th, 1944 allied troops entered Rome and liberated the city. Mussolini's luck had run out. Less than a year later, the fallen dictator was captured, shot and hung from a streetlamp in the centre of Milan, the very same city where he had formed his party years before.