During the late s, it After passing a wet and tedious winter near the Pacific Coast, Lewis and Clark leave behind Fort Clatsop and head east for home. The Corps of Discovery arrived at the Pacific the previous November, having made a difficult crossing over the rugged Rocky Mountains.
Their winter Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. By the time James Cameron took the stage to accept his Academy Award for Best Director on the night of March 23, , the Oscar dominance of his blockbuster film Titanic was all but assured. In an address to the nation, President Ronald Reagan proposes that the United States embark on a program to develop antimissile technology that would make the country nearly impervious to attack by nuclear missiles.
He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in until his deposition in , and "Duce" of Italian Fascism from the establishment of the Italian Fasces of Combat in until his execution in by Italian partisans. As dictat Mussolini returned to Italy in and continued promoting a socialist agenda.
He was briefly imprisoned and, upon release, became editor of the organization's newspaper, Avanti meaning "Forward" , which gave him a larger megaphone and expanded his influence. While Mussolini initially condemned Italy's entry into World War I , he soon saw the war as an opportunity for his country to become a great power.
His change in attitude broke ties with fellow socialists, and he was expelled from the organization. In , Mussolini joined the Italian army and fought on the front lines, reaching the rank of corporal before being wounded and discharged from the military.
On March 23, , Mussolini founded the Fascist Party , which organized several right-wing groups into a single force. The fascist movement proclaimed opposition to social class discrimination and supported nationalist sentiments. Mussolini hoped to raise Italy to levels of its great Roman past. Mussolini criticized the Italian government for weakness at the Treaty of Versailles.
Capitalizing on public discontent following World War I, he organized a paramilitary unit known as the "Black Shirts," who terrorized political opponents and helped increase Fascist influence. As Italy slipped into political chaos, Mussolini declared that only he could restore order and was given the authority in as prime minister.
He gradually dismantled all democratic institutions. By , he had made himself dictator, taking the title "Il Duce" "the Leader". To his credit, Mussolini carried out an extensive public works program and reduced unemployment, making him very popular with the people. In , determined to show the strength of his regime, Benito Mussolini invaded Ethiopia.
The ill-equipped Ethiopians were no match for Italy's modern tanks and airplanes, and the capital, Addis Ababa, was quickly captured. Contrary to popular belief, Mussolini did not take power in a coup. But although the premiership was now his, Il Duce—a master of propaganda who claimed the backing of , fascist militiamen when the real number was probably far lower—wanted to make a show of force.
As a result, he joined armed supporters who flooded the streets of Rome the following day. Mussolini did not become a true dictator until After becoming prime minister, Mussolini reduced the influence of the judiciary, muzzled a free press, arrested political opponents, continued condoning fascist squad violence and otherwise consolidated his hold on power.
However, he continued working within the parliamentary system at least somewhat until January , when he declared himself dictator of Italy. Following a series of assassination attempts in and , Mussolini tightened his grip even further, banning opposition parties, kicking out over members of parliament, reinstating the death penalty for political crimes, ramping up secret police activities and abolishing local elections.
Mussolini was anti-Church before becoming pro-Church. As a socialist youth, Mussolini declared himself an atheist and railed against the Catholic Church, going so far as to say that only idiots believed Bible stories and that Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene were lovers.
He even authored an anti-clerical pulp novel. But after taking power, Il Duce began working to patch up that relationship. Despite having many mistresses himself, he also put in place harsh punishments for adultery. In Mussolini signed an agreement with the Vatican under which the Church received authority over marriage and was compensated for property that had been seized decades earlier.
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