Why did Divisions Occur Between Mussolini and Galeazzo Ciano on the Rome-Berlin Alliance?
Count Galeazzo Ciano, former Foreign Minister of Fascist Italy, was one of the most controversial figures in modern Italian history. As the son-in-law of Mussolini, Ciano used to be viewed as a blind follower of the Duce in the Italian collective memory. However, he was executed by Mussolini by firing squad in Verona in the conviction of treason. In this research essay for my class “Europe in World War II,” I tried to explore the factors that lead up to the division between Ciano and Mussolini, especially regarding their attitudes towards the Rome-Berlin Alliance. This, in turn, highlights the flaws of the Italian fascist regime and the generation division in Italy.
Advisor: Professor Paul Jankowski
The Loss of Youth: Failure of Fascist Juvenile Justice System and Its Legacy in Postwar Italy
The most shocking shocking historical fact that I learnt these years was that Mussolini established the first juvenile court in Italy. In contrast to the progressive purpose of the first US juvenile court in Illinois, Mussolini’s juvenile justice aimed to fulfill the vision of consolidating traditional family structure. The justice system did not function appropriately, and it went into collapse in postwar Italy. This research paper from my class “Crimes in Europe” investigated the failure of juvenile justice system in postwar Italy with neorealist films as primary sources. It also explores how the juvenile justice system in postwar Italy influenced by its Fascist predecessors.
Advisor: Professor Alice Kelikian