Mussolini and Friends Trivia Quiz

Answer: Emilia Romagna

His father Alessandro was a blacksmith and a socialist, and his mother Rosa was a devoutly Catholic schoolteacher. Interestingly, Mussolini was named "Benito" after Mexican revolutionary reformist President Benito Juárez.

Answer: Switzerland

Mussolini emigrated to Switzerland to avoid military service. He was deported in 1903 for false papers; he came back again for a little while, but in 1904, he returned to Italy to take advantage of an amnesty for desertion, for which he had been convicted.

Answer: El Generalisimo

From 1936 through 1939, Mussolini provided huge amounts of military support to the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War. This active intervention on the side of Franco further distanced Italy from France and Britain. As a result, Mussolini's relationship with Adolf Hitler became closer since Germany was also strongly supporting Franco.

After WWII started, Hitler and Mussolini asked repeatedly to Franco to officially enter the War on the Axis side. Many historians say that several of the most memorable Hitler's scenes of fury were due to the refusal of Franco to "return the favour" for the German and Italian help given to him during the Spanish Civil War.

Answer: Ethiopia

Emperor Haile Selassie was forced to flee the country, with Italy entering the capital city, Addis Ababa to proclaim an empire by May 1936, making Ethiopia part of Italian East Africa. Ethiopia or Abyssinia as it was called at the time, was the only country along with Liberia, which had avoided European domination in Africa until then.

Answer: True

Building a police state, reducing powers of parliament, start a massive public construction programmes and government initiatives to combat economic setbacks or unemployment levels, heavy propaganda and a lavish cult of personality, the dream to forge a new Roman Empire, the despise of western democracies (especially the UK and France) and a strong armed forces were some of the basis of fascism which were later taken and perfected by Hitler.

Answer: Neville Chamberlain

In January 1939, the British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain visited Rome, during which visit, Mussolini learnt that Britain very much wanted better relations with Italy, and was prepared to make concessions to it in order to avoid a war.

Answer: Juan Domingo Peron- Argentina

Perón was assigned by the War Ministry to study mountain warfare in the Italian Alps in 1939. He also attended the University of Turin and served as a military observer in Italy. He studied Benito Mussolini's Italian Fascism, Nazi Germany, and other European governments of the time. He returned to Argentina in 1941, and served as an Army skiing instructor in Mendoza.

Answer: Italy's Foreign Minister

Count Gian Galeazzo Ciano was Foreign Minister of Fascist Italy from 1936 until 1943 and Benito Mussolini's son-in-law. On 11 January 1944, he was shot by a firing squad at the behest of Mussolini, under pressure from the Nazis because of Ciano's increasing opposition of keeping Italy in the war and his obvious and regular contacts with the Allies.

Answer: King Victor Emmanuel III

He was called to the royal palace by King Victor Emmanuel III, who had been planning to oust Mussolini earlier. When Mussolini tried to explain to the king, Victor Emmanuel cut him off and told him that he was being replaced by Marshal Badoglio. After Mussolini left the palace, he was arrested by Carabinieri on the King's orders.

Answer: Mussolini's mistress

The partisans gave Claretta the options of running away or being shot. She chose to stay. They say when the bullets were fired to kill "Il Duce" she suddenly interposed her body to protect her lover, killing her first. On the following day, 29 April, Mussolini's and Petacci's bodies were taken to the Piazzale Loreto in Milan and hung upside down for the Italian people to see and verify that Mussolini was indeed dead.