Benito Mussolini (1883–1945)

A former member of the socialist party, Mussolini founded the movement Fascio di combattimento in 1919 (since 1921 Partito Nazionale Fascista [PNF]). In an electoral alliance with the liberals and accompanied by acts of violence he got to the Italian parliament in 1921 and in 1922 became prime minister after the "March to Rome". Since 1929 he used his steadily increasing position of power, which went with his stylisation as "Duce" as well, to establish a one-party-dictatorship, a totalitarian political and social order as well as an increasingly imperialistic foreign policy. After pursuing a seesaw policy Mussolini became increasingly dependant on Nazi Germany (partial adoption of the "Rassengesetze" (race laws); 1939 steal pact; 1940 Tripartite Pact and declaration of war). After mass strikes and the invasion of the Western allies, Mussolini was ousted in 1943 and  shot by Italian restistance fighters in 1945.

Benito Mussolini (1883–1945), black-and-white photograph, no date, unknown photographer; source: Library of Congress, George Grantham Bain Collection, http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ggbain.37518.