Editing Italian East Africa (section)

=== Italian ambitions and rise of fascism ===
{{main|Italian fascism|Italian imperialism under fascism}}
[[File:March on Rome.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.9|[[Benito Mussolini|Mussolini]] and the fascist paramilitary Blackshirts' [[March on Rome]] in October 1922. Marshal [[Emilio De Bono| De Bono]], standing left of Mussolini, commanded Italian forces during the [[Second Italo-Ethiopian War]]]]
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Italy sought to expand its [[Italian Empire|colonial empire]], competing with other European powers for overseas territories. Early efforts included the colonization of Eritrea (1890) and Italian Somaliland (1905), followed by the unsuccessful invasion of the [[Ethiopian Empire]] in the [[First Italo-Ethiopian War]] (1895–1896).{{sfn|Ben-Ghiat|Fuller|2016|p=xiv-xvii}}  After [[World War I]], nationalist sentiments grew, fueled by the belief that Italy had been denied its rightful territorial rewards for its contribution to the war effort, a sentiment known as the [[Mutilated victory| Mutilated Victory]] ({{langx|it|Vittoria Mutilata}}).<ref>Cfr. Gabriele D'Annunzio, in an editorial in ''Corriere della Sera'', October 24, 1918, ''Vittoria nostra, non sarai mutilata'' ('Our victory will not be mutilated')</ref>{{sfn|Pergher|2017|p=32}} The combination of mobilization costs and the [[Fascist and anti-Fascist violence in Italy (1919–1926)| social unrest]] that followed the war is widely thought to have strengthened [[Italian irredentism]] and [[Italian nationalism| nationalism]].{{sfn|Kallis|2000|p=16}} This frustration contributed to the rise of [[Benito Mussolini]] and his [[Fascist Italy| Fascist regime]] in 1922.{{Sfn|Kallis|2000}} 

Mussolini injected a new and aggressive impetus into these frustrations and ambitions, framing colonial expansion as a means to  [[Succession of the Roman Empire|restore Roman greatness]], enhance national prestige, and solve Italy's [[Economy of fascist Italy|economic problems]] by providing land and resources.{{sfn|Ben-Ghiat|Fuller|2016|p=121}}{{sfn|Pergher|2017|p=2}} Mussolini believed the Italian people lacked a strong nationalistic and [[Colonization|colonial]] conscience and thus sought to cultivate these sentiments through [[Propaganda in Fascist Italy|Fascist propaganda]], particularly in the lead-up to the invasion and during occupation of the Ethiopia Empire.{{sfn|Ben-Ghiat|Fuller|2016|p=180}} This propaganda emphasized Italy's need for [[Spazio vitale|colonial territories]] ({{langx|it|spazio vitale}}), the perceived danger of Ethiopian aggression, and the injustice of international opposition to Italian expansion.{{sfn|Campbell|2017}} The [[Second Italo-Ethiopian War|conquest of Ethiopia]] in 1936 and the subsequent formation of Italian East Africa were presented as major achievements of the Fascist regime, aimed at fulfilling long-standing Italian ambitions and establishing Italy as a major power.{{sfn|Campbell|2017|p=18}}{{sfn|Ben-Ghiat|Fuller|2016|p=121}} Despite earlier consideration of a [[Protectorate|protectorate]] over parts of Ethiopia, the Fascist government pursued [[Conquest|full conquest]], driven by Mussolini's determination to achieve a significant colonial victory to bolster his regime's legitimacy and international standing.{{Sfn|Sbacchi|1997|p=269-271}} This ambition, however, was met with [[Arbegnoch|Ethiopian resistance]] and [[Abyssinia Crisis|international complications]].{{sfn|Ben-Ghiat|Fuller|2016|p=44}}{{sfn|Sbacchi|1997|p=164-186}} This further [[Axis powers|aligned]] Italy with [[Nazi Germany]], setting the stage for its involvement in World War II.{{sfn|Burgwyn|1997}}