Mussolini’s "foreign legion". Foreign volunteers for the Ethiopian war 1935-1936

Journal title ITALIA CONTEMPORANEA
Author/s Joao Fábio Bertonha
Publishing Year 2014 Issue 2014/275
Language Italian Pages 17 P. 331-347 File size 156 KB
DOI 10.3280/IC2014-275007
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The main purpose of this essay is to present the results of a recent research about the experience of thousands of foreign right-wing militants willing to serve as volunteers under the Italian flags in the Ethiopian war of 1935-1936. After some discussion, the project was rejected by the Italian government, but the idea of such a legion, though discarded, gives us the opportunity to shed new light on the connections, ties of solidarity and contradictions among the Fascist and right-wing movements during that fateful period. Special attention is given to the nationality of the would-be volunteers, their ideological and political outlooks and their connections with Italy and with their respective countries of residence.

Keywords: Fascism, foreign volunteers, Ethiopian war, Fascist internationalism, Italian Armed Forces, mercenaries

Joao Fábio Bertonha, La "legione straniera" di Mussolini I volontari stranieri nella guerra d’Etiopia 1935-1936 in "ITALIA CONTEMPORANEA" 275/2014, pp 331-347, DOI: 10.3280/IC2014-275007