March on Rome in 1922 and its imitators in the United States today

Contributed by Glen Davis

America seems to be on its way to hell in a hand basket. Coronavirus deaths have passed 100,000, an estimated 40 million are receiving an unemployment benefit, and riots are setting big swathes of the county ablaze, after the murder of George Floyd.

The Tangerine Mussolini [Donald Trump] is unable to control this spiralling mess, with rumours he has gone into hiding; though still aggressively Tweeting.

Photo by Evan Vucci/AP: Donald Trump

In response to the growing death toll from Coronavirus, several Democrat governors imposed lock downs within their states. The lock downs are premised/supported by medical advice.

However, we’ve seen armed groups marching to the various State capital buildings, along with calls from the Tangerine Mussolini to ‘liberate’ states such as Michigan, Minnesota, Virginia.

Armed supporters of his, have taken to the streets, aiming to impose their will on these states. In Michigan we saw 300-400 armed protestors driving around holding up traffic, trying to pressure the elected government end the lock down.

It draws some parallels to the ‘original Mussolini’, Benito Mussolini. Yes, the specifics are different. But the parallels of an armed Right-wing mob taking to the streets to threaten an elected government is concerning.

The 1922 March on Rome saw an estimated 25,000 fascist marchers. From 26 October they seized control of government offices and railway stations, in preparation for the march on Italy’s capital.

The 1922 Blackshirts march on Rome

On 28 October, the fascist hordes, known as the Black shirts, commenced their March on Rome. Their goal was to capture Rome’s strategic posts.

The government of Prime Minster Luigi Facta prepared for them, ordering a state of siege for Rome, as he sought to defend it. Yet the King, Victor Emanuel III, refused to assist the elected government. This meant the support of the army was not available to defend the democratic structures being attacked.

The March on Rome continued with the King approaching Mussolini on 29 October, requesting his fascists form a cabinet and establish a new government.

Mussolini, who was in Milan, boarded a train on 30 October, arriving just prior to his marchers. A triumphant parade was then held, ushering in two decades of fascist rule.

Yes, what is happening in America is quite different but the parallels of capitalism spiraling out of control, with armed right-wing mobs seeking to prop up their choice of rulers has scary overtones.

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