Speech in Genoa, May 14, 1938

By Benito Mussolini

Comrades of Genoa!

It is with the greatest joy that, as I came here this morning from the sea, I again saw the stupendous lines of your city which has never more than at present earned the title of "Dominant". (Applause).

No less profound is my joy, after twelve years (the multitude shouts "Too many years!"), of once again coming into immediate contact with you.

It is with emotion that I speak to you in front of the triumphal arch which you have dedicated to the Victory and to the memory of those Heroes who gained it with their pure blood and have transmitted it to us and to all future generations as a sacred and immortal inheritance. (Very vibrant applause).

You will not be surprised if, as almost always has happened at the memorable meetings of the Fascist people, I speak to you of some questions of an international character.

On March 11th at 6 p.m. Italy once again found herself at a crossroads and had to make a decision. From her choice might depend disorder, peace or war, and also the destiny of Europe. But as these events did not come as a surprise to us, we replied immediately and clearly: "No!" to a diplomatic step which in this particular case would have been much more useless than many others. (Very clamorous applause).

The enemies of Italy and the anti-Fascists of all kinds were greatly disappointed and gave themselves up to an outbreak of genuine and repulsive fury. They evidently desired a collision between the two totalitarian States and even worse complications, not excluding war, even if this had opened the gates to the triumph of Bolshevism in Europe. (Applause).

Our attitude was not, as was affirmed, dictated by necessity, but by our will, and everything that has since occurred has shown that it was inspired by wisdom. (Very loud applause).

To those on the other side of the mountains who still feel disingenuous melancholy when they remind us of the events of 1934, we reply once more before you and before the entire Italian people that from that time till March 1938 much water has flowed under the bridges of the Tiber, the Danube, the Spree, the Thames and also the Seine. (Loud applause). And while this water flowed more or less tumultuously, Italy, which was in the midst of a bloody and gigantic effort, was subject to those sanctions which we still have not forgotten. (Prolonged applause).

In the meantime, everything that occurred in diplomacy and politics under the general name of Stresa was dead and buried, and, as far as we are concerned, will never be resuscitated. Nor could Italy afford herself the truly excessive luxury of regularly mobilizing at the end of every four years in order to prevent the inevitable conclusion of a national revolution.

These are the contingent reasons for the decision. But there is one reason that is even more important, and I would like to proclaim it here in the city that has had the privilege and has the legitimate pride of having given birth to Giuseppe Mazzini. (Very vibrant applause). Fascist Italy could not indefinitely assume that same odious and useless task of the old Austria of the Habsburgs and Metternich: namely, to oppose the will of a Nation towards its unity.

We have therefore not acted in this way out of fear of complications, for such fear has never found a place in our soul and never will. But it was rather our conscience, the sense of honour and loyal friendship towards Germany that inspired us to do what we did. At present the two worlds, the German world and the Roman world, are in direct contact. Their friendship is durable. The cooperation between the two Revolutions, which is destined to place its imprint upon our century, can only be fruitful.

The Italian people desired to give expression to this by welcoming the German Chancellor. (Loud applause). The words pronounced on the night of May 7th in the Palazzo Venezia were listened to with sincere enthusiasm by the two peoples. They do not represent a diplomatic or political declaration. They are a solemn and definitive event in history. (Applause).

The Axis, to which we remain faithful, has not prevented us from pursuing a policy of agreements with those who sincerely desire such agreements.

Thus, in March of last year, we reached the agreement with Yugoslavia, and since then peace has reigned supreme over the shores of the Adriatic. (Applause).

We have also recently reached the agreement with Great Britain. (Applause). At the bottom of the conflict, which represented a serious danger for the relations of the two Nations, there was much misunderstanding and, we may state openly, ignorance in the true sense of the word.

For too many foreigners Italy is the country that is badly depicted by mediocre literature. It is high time that the Italy of arms and labour should be known; it is high time to know the Italian people who have in twenty years furnished formidable proofs of their will, culminating in the conquest of the Empire.

The latest speech by the British Prime Minister is an attempt to abandon that maze of clichés and to recognize the Italy of Fascism and of the Blackshirt Revolution in all its majesty and power.

The agreement between London and Rome is an agreement between two Empires and extends from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.

Since it is our will to strictly respect this agreement, and since we believe that the Government of Great Britain will do the same, it may be considered that the agreement will be durable. The approval which it has found in all countries of the world is a proof of its intrinsic historical importance. (Applause).

You will permit me to be circumspect as regards the conversations with France, because they are still ongoing. I do not know whether they will reach a conclusion, because, on an extremely important matter, namely the war in Spain, we are on opposite sides of the barricade. They desire the victory of Barcelona; we on the other hand desire and wish for the victory of Franco. (Very loud applause).

Comrades of Genoa!

In the last twelve years Italy and Genoa have rapidly advanced. But what we have achieved can only be considered as a stage. In the struggle of Nations and continents there is no stopping; he who hesitates is lost. That is why the Fascist Regime will do everything necessary to promote your maritime traffic and your industrial initiatives. (Lively applause).

Those who think that the struggle for autarky, which we shall continue with the utmost force, will diminish trade are in the wrong. It cannot reduce neither the quality nor the volume. It is equally false to believe that the Regime desires to sacrifice medium and small industrial and commercial activities. The truth is exactly the opposite. The workers of great Genoa, who have given so much proof of their discipline and their attachment to labour, know through a thousand deeds that their conditions are always present in my mind and above all in my heart. (Loud and prolonged applause).

The guidelines of our policies are clear: we desire peace, peace with everyone. And I can tell you that National Socialist Germany desires European peace no less ardently than ourselves. (Applause). But the peace, in order to be secure, must be an armed peace.

It is for that reason that I desired that the entire fleet should assemble at Genoa, in order to show you and the Italians of Piedmont and Lombardy our effective strength at sea.

We desire peace, but we must be prepared with all our forces to defend it, especially when we hear speeches, even from across the ocean, which give us cause for reflection.

It is perhaps not true that the so-called great democracies are really preparing a war of ideologies. However, it nevertheless should be known that in such a case the totalitarian States will immediately form a bloc and will march together to the end! (Very loud cheers).

Comrades of Genoa!

Fascist Italy follows you and honours you because it knows it can count on your courage, your spirit of initiative, your staunch patriotism and your truly Ligurian tenacity, tougher than the rocks that you have shattered to expand the breath of your city...

My visit closes one period of your history and opens another one. During this period your Genoa, our Genoa, must fulfill and will fulfill a new powerful leap towards its greater future.