Mussolini

LIST OF PLATES vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vii CHRONOLOGY viii Introduction 1(15) 1 The shaping of a political leader, 1883-1919 16(25) 2 The achievement of power, 1919-24 41(20) 3 Crisis and consolidation, 1924-29 61(28) 4 The dictator at his zenith 89(17) 5 Italian society under Mussolini, 1931-39 106(15) 6 The Ethiopian War, 1935-36 121(15) 7 Into the abyss: foreign and defence policy, 1936-40 136(26) 8 The slide to disaster, 1940-43 162(20) 9 The last phase, 1943-45 182(16) Conclusion 198(16) NOTES 214(11) SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 225(3) INDEX 228