Mussolini's Empire: The Rise and Fall of the Fascist Vision

An acclaimed historian offers a novel look at Mussolini whose importance, charisma and achievements, according to Hoyt, have been overshadowed by his flagrant personality and excesses. Goes beyond the storied histrionics to reveal a man with a first class mind and a shrewd understanding of the European scene. Offers a new look at Hitler, showing how he was influenced by Mussolini and how he might have been contained had France and England backed the Italian's efforts to hold Hitler in check.

In this odd revisionist biography of Mussolini, Tokyo-based journalist and historian Hoyt (Now Hear This, 1993, etc. etc.) unconvincingly argues that the Fascist leader ``deserves a better rating than he has yet been given in the West.'' Elected prime minister after the 1922 ``March on Rome,'' Mussolini soon established Europe's first modern dictatorship. For years afterward--as Hoyt points out--he was respected throughout the world for the efficiency he brought to Italy. Hoyt cannot, however, argue away the brutality of Mussolini's regime or the ruthlessness of the man himself. Mussolini's Fascist ideology and militant Italian nationalism were, like the Socialism he embraced earlier in life, mere vehicles for the achievement of personal power. Hoyt documents Mussolini's adulterous behavior, which on at least one occasion interfered with affairs of state. Hoyt also traces Mussolini's failed attempts at entente with France and Britain, his fateful decisions to expand his empire in Africa, and his entry into WW II at the side of Adolf Hitler. Reverses in the war led to the 1943 fall of Mussolini's regime and his 1945 execution by Communist partisans. Hoyt tries to rehabilitate Mussolini, but makes several factual errors (for instance, he states that Neville Chamberlain was the son of Austen Chamberlain, and puts Somalia in North Africa) and too many startling conclusions (among other things, he flatly asserts that Hitler sincerely sought disarmament, and argues that non-secret elections in Fascist Italy were an accurate reflection of the will of the Italian people). Hoyt adds nothing to our knowledge of Mussolini and, though claiming to take a fresh look at Il Duce, seems only to confirm that he was a repugnant figure whose rule was a disaster for Italy. -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

"As dictators go, Mussolini was very humane ." So writes Hoyt ( Japan's War ), who here presents an idiosyncratic interpretation of "the world's most popular political figure of the late 1920s and early 1930s." Playing down the violence, corruption and anti-Semitism of Mussolini's regime--and the hammy theatricality of the man himself--Hoyt emphasizes the uneasy relationship between the Italian dictator and Hitler, especially Mussolini's restraining influence on der Fuhrer until 1939. Hoyt brings into focus, for example, Il Duce 's attempts to forge an alliance among Britain, France, Italy and Germany in 1933-1934 to maintain peace in Europe and curb the Nazi leader's expansionist ambitions. The author also sheds light on the Salo Republic, the puppet regime Hitler established in northern Italy for Mussolini after his fall from popular power in 1943 (Mussolini was executed by partisans in 1945). There is also a chapter on Mussolini's relations with women ("Usually he did not take off his trousers") which, Hoyt acknowledges, has little relevance to his 21-year leadership of Italy or his contributions as a statesman.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Despite its title, this book is not about Mussolini's overseas empire or fascism as a theory. It is instead a biographical treatment of Mussolini that regards him as an intelligent, dynamic, and largely underrated figure. The book is written from a superficial standpoint, describing events and actions in Mussolini's rise and fall but including little attempt to analyze or explain them. Thus, for example, such critical issues for understanding Mussolini as his early involvement with socialism and his conversion to fascism receive fragmentary and confused consideration. Hoyt is a prolific author of popular histories, but this one reads like a potboiler. Libraries whose collections lack such recent standards as Denis Mack Smith's Mussolini ( LJ 5/15/82), Alexander Stille's Benevolence and Betrayal ( LJ 11/15/91), and Philip Cannistraro and Brian Sullivan's Il Duce's Other Woman ( LJ 2/1/93) should purchase these first.
- Barbara Walden, Univ. of Minnesota Libs., Minneapolis
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The current decade has already witnessed a disturbing rise in right-wing extremism in Russia, Germany, and Italy (where Mussolini's granddaughter almost won a seat in the legislature). Thus, Hoyt's fascinating but flawed biography makes for timely and compelling reading. As were so many of Mussolini's contemporaries, Hoyt is clearly entranced by his subject's dynamism, courage, and often uncanny political instincts. Hoyt's chapters on Mussolini's early life are fine examples of historical and psychological interpretation and eloquently illustrate how the child became father to the adult. Unfortunately, Hoyt's relatively benign treatment of Il Duce's glaring character flaws detracts from the credibility of his efforts. Hoyt sees Mussolini's failures as essentially political rather than moral. He glosses over the man's blatant cynicism, self-absorption, and inability to commit to anyone or anything beyond his personal aggrandizement. Still, Hoyt's unique psychological insights and his ability to place them into historical context make this a readable and valuable biography. Jay Freeman