From Russia to the USSR: the Italy-Soviet relations during the years of the communist uprising and the march on Rome

The First World War brought with it enormous ideological, political and social problems. In Russia, as in Italy, the repercussions of the war were soon felt and the two countries, which were struggling with monarchical regimes embodying different principles and ideological stances, saw the birth of oppositional movements within them. In Russia, these movements came into power thanks to a Bolshevik coup, while in Italy Mussolini founded the “Beams of Combat,” a real militia ready to ride the popular discontent on the “mutilated victory,” that is to say, dissatisfaction with the territories promised by the Treaty of London and not granted to Italy at the end of the war. The relations between the two countries were interrupted for several years and were resumed only when they both realized that the economic advantages that could result from resuming the relations would be far more beneficial than continuing the ideological confrontation. However, mutual distrust never stopped and rendered the bilateral relations increasingly tenuous until they were definitely severed in the early years of the Second World War.