Select language, opens an overlay

Comment

The Pope and Mussolini

the Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe
Community comment are the opinions of contributing users. These comment do not represent the opinions of Tulsa City-County Library.
Jun 28, 2016Hopalong_Kid rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Excellent history of how fascism came to be in Italy in the 1920's. Great read but a real horror story. Thoroughly researched from the Vatican archives and the Italian fascist government archives. The book examines the relationship between Mussolini and Pope Pius XI. In conclusion, the fascist dictator, Mussolini, used the Vatican to come to power and stay there. The Italian Fascist party might have been another footnote in history, if the Vatican didn't go all in and backed Mussolini (and BTW Hitler idolized Mussolini and copied the Italian fascist playbook to gain power in Germany). Let's be clear, both Il Duce and the Pope were strong supporters of fascism - each for their own purposes. While Pope Pius XI, a power-hungry librarian, was defiant of Mussolini, he only protested to regain his state-sponsored religion - thus the 'Clerico-Fascist' regime. Pius XI had some regrets about the out-right racism of the fascists toward the end of his reign, but he didn't really stand up against Mussolini's anti-Semite laws. Puis was opposed to the German Nazi, if only that Hitler was anti-Catholic. Pius XI was just as evil as Mussolini and maybe worse for enabling the fascists. Yet Pius XI's successor was twice as bad - a complete anti-Semite, totally compliant to Mussolini, and a Nazi collaborator. What a contrast to the current Pope Francis.