Akashma Online News

Published on June 30, 201

Benito Mussolini Addressing the Mothers of the Italian Soldiers 1935

Roma, I wish first of all, to thank you for having accepted with the greatest spontaneity and solicitude the appeal that that greatest organ of the regime directed to you in its recent sessions.
You have all the right and all the merit to constitute an advance guard to the feminine Italian army to which the regime has entrusted the task of reacting with system, with energy and with inflexibility to the hateful economic siege that surrounds Italy.
The party regime is counting on you, on your sensibility, on your patience and on your tenacity, and counts above all on that spirit of ardent patriotism that beats in the hearts of all Italian women.

Criticizes Former Allies.

If any one in the glorious and tragic years of the World War, when grievous news entered your homes, had told you that one day the countries for which you had offered the youth of your sons would have furnished arms to the enemy that is fighting against Italian troops you would have rejected the suggestion as one seeks to obliterate an evil dream.
this is the reality of today.
It was not without emotion that yesterday I read the letter of the mother of Phillip Corridoni (youthful Italian World War victim), which recalled the message her son sent to the union syndicates at Milan when he was leaving for the front:
“We are going to fight for martyred Belgium, for invaded France, for threatened England”.
Now those whom we have aided have joined against Italy. but what is the crime Italy has committed?
None-at least unless it is a crime to carry civilization to a backward land, to construct roads and schools and to preserve the health and the progress of our times.
Now some nations that increased their colonial possessions through the sacrifice of 600, 000 Italian lives are sending explosives to help savages fight against Italy and put on the same plane Italy, mother of great men and mistress of civilization, and Ethiopia, a country of barbarians.

Complains of Moral Aspect.

It is not the economic aspect of sanctions that injures us. Economic sanctions, in a certain sense, will be useful to the Italian people. today, at least, we realize that we have many more raw materials than we had thought.
but what is revolting to us about sanctions is their moral character. It is that they have put on the same plane Ethiopia and Italy, and that they have regarded the Italian people as laboratory specimen on which Geneva experts can practice their cruel experiments with impunity.
Also, when all shall have finished, the marks these measures leave on our souls will be profound.
I do not wish to add anything, because all this that I have said to you already exist in your souls.
I am certain that in returning to your cities you will carry in your hearts these words and will broadcast them everywhere in such a way that they will be the watchwords of every woman in Italy and of the Italian PEOPLE