July 25, 1943 - Benito Mussolini

Italian king arrests Benito Mussolini. On October 31, 1922, Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini became Italy’s youngest prime minister. King Victor Emmanuel III appointed him to prevent civil war between right-wing fascists and left-wing communists. But Mussolini’s fascist government ruled by fear and propaganda. After making a pact of friendship with Germany’s Adolph Hitler, Mussolini began annexing countries in the same manner as Hitler. Early into World War II, he decided the Nazis were likely to win, so in 1940, Mussolini declared war on England. He later expanded this to the Soviet Union and United States, only to be defeated at the hands of the Allies. On July 25, 1943, Mussolini was deposed. The fascist high council turned on him and the king stripped Mussolini of his powers. He was arrested and sent to prison. Although released by German soldiers, he was captured and shot to death in 1944 as he tried to flee to Switzerland.

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