In Milan, Italy, Benito Mussolini founds his Fascist political movement.

March on Rome: Italian fascists led by Benito Mussolini march on Rome and take over the Italian government.

The King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III, appoints Benito Mussolini as Prime Minister.

Benito Mussolini is made Prime Minister of Italy.

Benito Mussolini announces he is taking dictatorial powers over Italy.

Adolf Hitler and Mussolini meet in Venice, Italy; Mussolini later describes the German dictator as "a silly little monkey".

Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval sign the Franco–Italian Agreement.

Italian dictator Benito Mussolini proclaims the Rome-Berlin Axis, establishing the alliance of the Axis Powers.

Meeting between Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini at the Brenner Pass.

World War II: German leader Adolf Hitler and Italian Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano meet to discuss Benito Mussolini's disastrous invasion of Greece.

World War II: Benito Mussolini is forced out of office by his own Italian Grand Council and is replaced by Pietro Badoglio.

World War II: Benito Mussolini, dictator of Italy, is rescued from house arrest on the Gran Sasso in Abruzzi, by German commando forces led by Otto Skorzeny.

The Nazi occupation army surrenders and leaves Northern Italy after a general partisan insurrection by the Italian resistance movement; the puppet fascist regime dissolves and Benito Mussolini tries to escape. This day is taken as symbolic of the Liberation of Italy.

World War II: Benito Mussolini is arrested by Italian partisans in Dongo, while attempting escape disguised as a German soldier.

Benito Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci are executed by a firing squad consisting of members of the Italian resistance movement.