• Who? Gabriele D’Annunzio, an Italian nationalist and quite the drama king.
• What did he do? Occupied the city of Fiume with 2,000 ex-soldiers & arditi in September 1919.
• Wait, why? He didn't like the Italian government’s decision to give Fiume to Yugoslavia. He was all about that "mutilated victory."
• Who stopped him? Giovanni Giolitti. He became the Italian PM in December 1920 and used the navy to blockade Fiume. D'Annunzio's support fell faster than a dropped pizza! 🍕
• Why should we care? Because Mussolini saw this and thought, "Great idea!" He copied many of D’Annunzio's methods like parades, public speeches, and uniformed militias. Picture it: you see someone at school with a cool backpack, so you buy the same one but in a different color. That's Mussolini copying D'Annunzio! 🎒

Historian's Input: Denis Mack Smith says this Fiume thing was like a rehearsal for fascism. The black shirts (arditi) in Fiume and even their chants ('A noi… eja, eja, alala’) were like teasers for what was to come.

Oops Moment: This event was a big embarrassment for the liberal democratic system in Italy. It's like when the school jock tries to dunk in basketball but misses the hoop entirely. Ouch! 🏀

Team A: Yes, it was going down! 📉

• Political Issues: By 1914, Liberal Italy was like a cracked phone screen; it had tons of issues. (Hint: Find a historian who talks about these issues!)
• Post-WWI Radicalization: Politics after WWI was like adding chili to pasta; it got super spicy and polarized. Plus, they messed up at the Versailles peace conference.
• Economic Crash: Both industry and agriculture weren't looking good. Imagine forgetting to water your plants, and now they’re all wilted.
• Post-WWI Economic Situation: Things worsened after WWI. This was like eating expired ice-cream and getting a tummy ache. (Hint: Look for a historian who mentions this!)

Team B: Nope, Italy had potential! 📈

• Political Stability: Italy had its moments! They expanded voting rights, and the Roman Question was a big deal.
• Economic Modernization: Liberal Italy was trying to upgrade! Think of it as Italy finally getting Wi-Fi after using dial-up for years.
• WWI Victory: Italy won in WWI! It’s like getting the highest score in a video game.
• Blame the Fascists: Fascists caused problems post-war. Think of them as that one person who always disrupts class. (Hint: There’s a historian out there who’d back this up!)