My Autobiography

BENITO AMILCARE ANDREA MUSSOLINI (29 July 1883 - 28 April 1945) was an Italian politician, journalist, and leader of the National Fascist Party (Partito Nazionale Fascista; PNF), ruling the country as Prime Minister from 1922-1943. He ruled constitutionally until 1925, when he set up a legal dictatorship. Known as Il Duce (The Leader), Mussolini was the founder of Italian Fascism.
On 10 June 1940, with the Fall of France imminent, Mussolini officially entered World War II on the side of Germany, believing Italy could gain territorial concessions from France and he could then concentrate his forces on a major offensive in North Africa, where British and Commonwealth forces were outnumbered by Italian forces. In the summer of 1941 Mussolini sent Italian forces to participate in the invasion of the Soviet Union, and war with the U.S. followed in December.
In July 1943, soon after the start of the Allied invasion of Italy, the Grand Council of Fascism voted against him, and the King had him arrested the following day. In September 1943, Mussolini was rescued from prison in the Gran Sasso raid by German special forces. In April 1945, with total defeat looming, Mussolini attempted to escape north, but was captured and summarily executed near Lake Como by Italian Communists.
RICHARD WASHBURN CHILD (August 5, 1881 - January 31, 1935) was an author, diplomat, and one of the most influential American promoters of Italian fascism. Born in Worcester, MA, he graduated from Harvard University and Law School in 1906. He founded the Progressive Republican League in Massachusetts. During WWI he worked as a correspondent in Europe and Russia and then for the U.S. Treasury, writing propaganda. After WWI he became editor of Collier's Weekly and wrote campaign material for Presidential candidate Warren G. Harding. He was Ambassador to Italy from 1921-1924. In 1928 he became a paid propaganda writer for Benito Mussolini. Childs died in 1935.