March on Rome

March on Rome (27–9 Oct. 1922) The events that led to Mussolini's seizure of power. On 27 October the Fascist movement mobilized, and attempted to cut off all lines of communication to the capital in order to prepare for a march on Rome to seize power in a coup. Since they were no match for the regular Italian army, it was rather the threat of civil war in a country already torn apart by political factionalism which persuaded the government elites to accommodate the Fascists when they learnt of these plans. Since Mussolini declined to accept a subordinate part in a new government, on 28 October he was eventually offered the premiership. Hence, his blackshirt supporters were able to realize their march on Rome on 29 October not as a prelude to, but as a celebration of, their success. Therefore, Mussolini's seizure of power was founded not upon his own position of strength, but on the unwillingness of the political, economic, and social establishment to resist him, and on their hope that he might put an end to the perceived socialist threat.

Hitler putsch