In 1922 the Fascist party, led by Benito Mussolini, gained political power in Italy and gradually changed the government into a one-party dictatorship under Mussolini’s control. From that time until his death Mussolini’s only interest was in holding on to power. He was willing to do whatever he had to do to keep power. He did not operate on the basis of any principles or beliefs that could not be adapted when it suited his purpose. Mussolini remained in power until he was thrown out after a number of Italian military disasters in World War II. The Nazis set him up as the head of a puppet state in Northern Italy, but when Mussolini tried to flee from the Allies he was captured by the Italian underground and executed. The attitude he expressed to the very end was that a better choice would have kept him in power longer. As the end grew near in 1944 Mussolini admitted he…