Speech delivered by Premier Benito Mussolini

The speech by Mussolini is an appeal or even a command to the Italian people, to the army. In the first and sixth paragraphs Mussolini emphasizes the people who his is talking to (Blackshirts of Rome, Rome comrades). He is not calling them, for example, confreres or citizens. He emphasizes that those people are like a Rome weapon in this war. Then his words “feel your temperature and break the silence” are so strong, powerful that reader can become scared.

There are many dates which make this speech more concrete and realistic. Because of those dates, reader can even find out some interesting facts about the war. For example, as a reminder for everybody, the war was started from September 1, 1939. Therefore, this text is the speech-command. The phrase by Mussolini: “…we will struggle to the last drop of blood.” is a hyperbole which shows that there is no way to go back. When Benito Mussolini says: “We are not like English”, in this sentence the reader can see how the premier doesn’t like the English people, how he blames the English. Then the simple comparison “we call bread bread and wine wine” shows that the Italian government is acting in a good way and not hiding the facts of the war, while the English government doesn’t say the truth to its people. In that phrase Mussolini appeals to comrades showing that the government acts perfect, it is not lying to its people, so people can be sure that they should fight for their country. Therefore, it is a leader’s speech; there cannot be any bad things to say about government. That is how it is presented. There are only positive moments and incentives to continue the war.

Mussolini admires his Italian army who fights in this war. He calls them as “the authentic, real, great Italian people”.  Another hyperbola in his speech “fight with the courage of lions on land” is a good example of Mussolini’s confidence in power of Italian army. Mussolini is saying: “Rome comrades! Trough you I want to speak...” in order to show all Italian people that he and comrades are acting in the war for their lives, freedom, needs.

Mussolini compares people with “snakes, who remain in the Masonic lodges”. Those people are the Italian enemies. And Mussolini appeals to “crush them without the difficulties”. After that he calls “the Italian people, the Fascist people…” emphasizing the participation of Italy in Fascism, the alliance with Hitler. The premier knows that “the Fascist people will have victory”. He is saying this as a statement, without any doubts.

The last sentence is very long. This sentence is almost like a short story about the Italian future victory. There are many powerful words as sacrifices, battlefields, hardships, dignity, heroism, soldiers that show the picture of the war, its reality. Also Mussolini thinks about the Italian army as heroes by saying “heroism of our soldiers”. And as it should be, the last the strongest phrase that makes soldiers take their weapon and go fight is “Victory, Italy, peace with justice among peoples!” that gives a hope to people that there will be the country with peace and justice…