Italy

After World War I Benito Mussolini started a Fascist party in Italy. Many of the young men in his party wore black shirts and carried guns and clubs. They walked the streets beating up people who did not believe in their ideas.

Mussolini promised to bring back the greatness of Rome. In 1922 Mussolini marched on Rome. The Black Shirts took control of the government. The became a secret police force. They beat and killed anyone who spoke out against the Mussolini's Fascist party.

In 1935 Mussolini's army invaded the small African nation of Ethiopia. The Italians had modern weapons and the Ethiopians fought with spears. The League of Nations tried to stop Italy, but it did no good. Italy left the League.

In 1936

Germany, Italy, and Japan signed a treaty in which they agreed to help each other in time of war. The three nations became known as the Axis Powers.