The October Surprise and Benito Mussolini becomming the Prime Minister of Italy

The October Surprise

From the 1960s to 1975, the United States of America conducted military interventions in Vietnam. These interventions aimed to support the South Vietnamese government, an ally of the US, to fight the communist North Vietnamese. This period in US history is referred to as the Vietnam war.

This war was characterised by its extensive coverage on television and it’s large anti-war movement. A significant event in the course of the war occurred on 31st October 1968. On this day, the President of the United States, Lyndon B Johnson announced a suspension of all American bombing operations in North Vietnam. This act has gone down in history as “The 1968 October Surprise”. The term “October Surprise” is used in US politics to describe a major news event that aims to influence the outcome of an upcoming November election.

The 1968 surprise was a play by Johnson to try and slim the odds between his party’s candidate, Hubert Humphrey, and the Republican party candidate Richard Nixon. This move aimed to undermine Nixon, who was running on an anti-war platform. In the end, Nixon still won the election. The war would continue till full US withdrawal from Vietnam in 1975.

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Benito Mussolini becomes Prime Minister of Italy

Mussolini will forever be remembered as one of the most infamous leaders of Italy. In his youth he was as an active socialist, but after his service in the Great War he returned home a changed man. His ideology underwent a paradigm shift and he became leader of the Italian far right movement. His movement would be called “Fascismo” after the Latin word “Fasces”, which referred to a symbol of power in Ancient Rome. Interestingly, this is were the English term Fascist originates from.

In the 1920s Italy, like most European countries, was struggling with the major political and economical upheaval born out of the Great War. Mussolini and his Fascists were busy during this uncertain period. By 1921, large regions of Italy were under Fascist control and their support was growing. This cumulated in Mussolini organising one of the most famous marches in history. In October 1922, Mussolini and his Fascists marched on Rome to instal Mussolini as the undisputed leader of Italy. They entered the city and on 31st October Mussolini was declared the 27th prime minister of Italy. He would hold this position till 1943.

Following his insurrection, Mussolini would establish the first European Fascist dictatorship. His movement would inspire many right wing politicians. Most notably, Adolf Hitler.