In Depth
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Blackshirts

The Blackshirts were Fascist Fascism

Fascism is a radical [i] political ideology [i] that combines elements of corporatism [i], authoritarianism [i] ... 

 paramilitary groups in Italy during the period immediately following World War I World War I

World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War and "The War to End All War... 

 and until the end of World War II World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ... 

. Inspired by Giuseppe Garibaldi Giuseppe Garibaldi

Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian [i] patriot and soldier of the Risorgimento [i] ... 

's Redshirts, the Blackshirts were organized by Benito Mussolini Benito Mussolini

Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was the Prime-Minister and fascist [i] dictator of Italy from ... 

 as a military tool of his Fascist Fascism

Fascism is a radical [i] political ideology [i] that combines elements of corporatism [i], authoritarianism [i] ... 

 movement. The founders of the paramilitary groups were nationalist intellectuals, former army officiers or members of the special corp Arditi, young landowners opposing peasants' and country labourers' unions. Their methods became harsher as Mussolini's power grew, and they used violence, intimidation, and murder against Mussolini's opponents.

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Encyclopedia

For the University of Nebraska–Lincoln University of Nebraska–Lincoln

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln, often called UNL, but also known as Nebraska or ... 

 Cornhuskers Football Team, see Blackshirts Blackshirts

The Blackshirts were Fascist [i] paramilitary [i] groups in Italy [i] ... 

.


The Blackshirts were Fascist Fascism

Fascism is a radical [i] political ideology [i] that combines elements of corporatism [i], authoritarianism [i] ... 

 paramilitary groups in Italy during the period immediately following World War I World War I

World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War and "The War to End All War... 

 and until the end of World War II World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ... 

.



Inspired by Giuseppe Garibaldi Giuseppe Garibaldi

Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian [i] patriot and soldier of the Risorgimento [i] ... 

's Redshirts, the Blackshirts were organized by Benito Mussolini Benito Mussolini

Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was the Prime-Minister and fascist [i] dictator of Italy from... 

 as a military tool of his Fascist Fascism

Fascism is a radical [i] political ideology [i] that combines elements of corporatism [i], authoritarianism [i] ... 

 movement. The founders of the paramilitary groups were nationalist intellectuals, former army officiers or members of the special corp Arditi, young landowners opposing peasants' and country labourers' unions. Their methods became harsher as Mussolini's power grew, and they used violence, intimidation, and murder against Mussolini's opponents. One of their distinctive techniques was force-feeding castor oil.

The ethos and sometimes the uniform were later copied by others who shared Mussolini's political ideas, including Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler was Chancellor of Germany [i] from 1933, and Fhrer [i] of Germany [i] from 1934 until h ... 

 in Nazi Germany Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, refers to Germany in the years 1933 to 1945, when it was governe... 

, who issued brown shirts to the Sturmabteilung Sturmabteilung

The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary [i] organization [i] of the NSDAP [i] – the German [i] ... 

 and black uniforms to the Schutzstaffel Schutzstaffel

The Schutzstaffel , abbreviated
... 

 , Sir Oswald Mosley Oswald Mosley

Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet, was a British [i] politician principally known as ... 

 in the United Kingdom United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state [i] tha ... 

 , William Dudley Pelley William Dudley Pelley

William Dudley Pelley was an American Fascist [i] and leader of the Silver Legion [i].
... 

 in the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 , Plínio Salgado Plínio Salgado

Plnio Salgado was the founder and leader [i] of the 1930s [i] Brazil [i]ian fascist movement ... 

 in Brazil Brazil

Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest and most populous country [i] ... 

 , and Eoin O'Duffy Eoin O'Duffy

General Eoin O'Duffy, was in succession a Teachta Dla [i], the Chief of Staff [i] ... 

 in the Irish Free State Irish Free State

The Irish Free State was the name of the state comprising the 26 of Ireland [i]'s 32 counties that wer ... 

 . In recent years, the name has been appropriated by a militant fathers' rights  in Australia Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere [i] c ... 

.

History

Established as the squadristi in 1919 and consisted of many disgruntled former soldiers which may have numbered 20,000 by the time of Mussolini's March on Rome in 1922. In 1922 the squadristi were reorganized into the milizia and formed numerous bandiere, and on 1 February 1923 they became the MVSN , which lasted until the Italian Armistice in 1943. The Italian Social Republic Italian Social Republic

The Italian Social Republic was a Nazi [i] puppet state [i] in German [i]-occupied northern Italy [i] ... 

, northern Italy occupied by Nazi Germany, reformed them into the GNR .

Organization

Benito Mussolini was always the Commandant-General, but executive functions were carried out by the Chief of Staff, equivalent to an army general. The MVSN especially was formed in imitation of the old Roman army Roman legion

The Roman legion was the basic military unit of the ancient Roman [i] army [i]. ... 

 as follows:

Basic Organization

The terms after the first are neither words common to European armies nor are they purely arbitrary, but derive from the structure of the army of ancient Rome.

  • Zona = division
  • Legione = regiment, each legion was a militia Militia

    A militia is a group of citizen [i]s organized to provide paramilitary [i] service. ... 

     unit consisting of a small active cadre and a large reserve of civilian volunteers.
  • Coorte = battalion Battalion

    A battalion is a military unit [i] usually consisting of between two and six companies [i] and ... 

  • Centuria = company
  • Manipolo = platoon Platoon

    A platoon is a military unit [i].... 

  • Squadra = squad


These units were also organized on the triangular principle as follows:

  • 3 squadre = 1 manipolo
  • 3 manipoli = 1 centuria
  • 3 centurie = 1 coorte
  • 3 coorti = 1 legione
  • 3 legioni = 1 divisioni or
  • 3 or more legioni = 1 zona

Territorial Organization

The MVSN original organization consisted of 15 zones controlling 133 legions of three cohorts each and one Independent Group controlling 10 legions. In 1929 it was reorganized into four raggruppamenti, but later in October of 1936 it was reorganized into 14 zones controlling only 133 legions with two cohorts each, one of men 21 to 36 years old and the other of men up to 55 years old, plus special units in Rome, on Ponza Ponza

Ponza or Pontia is the largest of the Italian [i] Pontine Islands [i] archipelago [i], locat ... 

 Island and the black uniformed Moschettieri del Duce and the Albanian Militia  and Colonial Militia in Africa Africa

Africa is one of the greatest sized continents of the Earth.... 

 .
Special militias were also organized to provide security police functions, these included:

Security Militia

  • Anti-aircraft and Coastal Artillery Militia, a combined command which controlled two militias:
    • Anti-Aircraft Militia
    • Coastal Artillery Coastal artillery

      Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces [i] concerned with operating mobile anti-ship artillery [i] ... 

       Militia
  • Forestry Militia
  • Frontier Militia
  • Highway Militia
  • Port Militia
  • Posts and Telegraph Militia
  • Railway Militia
  • University Militia

Mobile Units

During the 1936 Abyssinian Campaign Second Italo-Abyssinian War

The Second ItaloAbyssinian War lasted seven months in 19351936.... 

 or the Invasion of Ethiopia Ethiopia

Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country situated in the Horn of Africa [i] ... 

, the MVSN were able to raise six field divisions:

  • 1st MVSN Division "23 Marzo"
  • 2d MVSN Division "28 Ottobre"
  • 3d MVSN Division "21 Aprile"
  • 4th MVSN Division "3 Gennaio"
  • 5th MVSN Division "1 Febbraio"
  • 6th MVSN Division "Tevere"

World War Two World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ... 

In 1940 the MVSN was able to muster 340,000 first-line combat troops, providing three divisions , in 1942 a fourth division was forming, and provided a Gruppo di Assalto to each army division. These Gruppi consisted of two cohorts plus Gruppo Supporto company of two heavy machine gun manipoli and two 81 mm mortar manipoli .

Later 41 Mobile groups were raised to become the third regiment in Italian Army divisions. These mobile groups suffered heavy casualties due to being undermanned, underequipped and undertrained. The three divisions were destroyed in combat in North Africa North Africa

North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost [i] region [i] of the Africa [i]n continent [i] ... 

. The MVSN fought in every theater where Italy did.

Italian Social Republic Italian Social Republic

The Italian Social Republic was a Nazi [i] puppet state [i] in German [i]-occupied northern Italy [i] ... 

The fall of the fascist regime in Italy and the disbandment of the MVSN saw the establishment of the GNR, and the emergence of the brigate nere or Black Brigades Black Brigades

Black Brigades were one of the fascist [i] paramilitary [i] groups operating in Italian Social Republic [i] ... 

. The 40 Black Brigades consisted of former MVSN, former Carabinieri Carabinieri

The Carabinieri is the shortened name for the Arma dei Carabinieri, an Italian [i]... 

, former soldiers and others still loyal to the fascist cause. They alongside their counterparts, the Nazi Nazism

National Socialism, commonly shortened to Nazism or Naziism, originated as a fascist [i] mo ... 

 SS Schutzstaffel

The Schutzstaffel , abbreviated
... 

, committed many atrocities.

Ranks

Mussolini as Comandante Generale was made Primo Caporale Onorario in 1935 and Adolf Hitler was made Caporale Onorario in 1937. All other ranks closely approximated those of the old Roman army as follows:

  • Comandante generale = Commander-in-chief
  • Comandante = general
  • Console generale = brigadier general
  • Console = colonel and commanded a legion
  • Primo seniore = lieutenant colonel
  • Seniore = major who commanded a cohort
  • Centurione = captain who commanded a centuria
  • Capomanipolo = First Lieutenant
  • Sottocapomanipolo = second lieutenant
  • Aspirante sottocapomanipolo = officer cadet
  • Primo aiutante = First or Master Warrant officer
  • Aiutante capo = Chief Warrant Officer
  • Aiutante = Warrant officer
  • Primo capo squadra = First Sergeant
  • Capo squadra = Squad Leader or Corporal or Sergeant
  • Vicecapo squadra = Vice Squad Leader or Lance Corporal
  • Camicia nera scelta = Private First Class
  • Camicia nera = Private

Uniforms

The MVSN wore the basic army uniform, either the grey green wool or khaki drill with a black shirt and tie, black collar patches bearing silver metal fascio and a black fez with tassles.

Rank insignias were similar to those of the army, with enlisted rank stripes in black braided chevrons, and officer ranks stripes in black braid with the topmost having a lozenge shaped loop instead of the army's round or oval loop.

They also wore a black-colored version of the standard Italian army helmet, again with a silver fascio on the front, although later in the war they wore a standard grey-green army helmet with a black stenciled fascia on the front.

The GNR wore a black shirt or turtle necked shirt or sweater with black helmets and Italian army trousers. This symbolised the blackshirts.

See also

  • Black Brigades Black Brigades

    Black Brigades were one of the fascist [i] paramilitary [i] groups operating in Italian Social Republic [i] ... 

  • Blue Shirts Society Blue Shirts Society

    The Blue Shirts Society also known as Society of Practice of Three Principles of People [i], Spirit Enco ... 

  • Italian Social Republic Italian Social Republic

    The Italian Social Republic was a Nazi [i] puppet state [i] in German [i]-occupied northern Italy [i] ... 

  • Militia Militia

    A militia is a group of citizen [i]s organized to provide paramilitary [i] service. ... 

  • Blueshirts
  • Paramilitary
  • Political color

External links