Il __: Mussolini

Usage examples of duce.

The Fuehrer of a country potentially so much stronger than Italy might soon put the Duce in the shade.

The meeting, incidentally, did not go off well for the German leader, who, in his soiled raincoat and battered soft hat, seemed ill at ease in the presence of the more experienced Duce, resplendent in his glittering, bemedaled black Fascisti uniform and inclined to be condescending to his visitor.

In June Neurath hastened to assure the Duce that Germany would abide by its July 11 pact with Austria.

While still closeted with Seyss he had put through a telephone call to Mussolini, but the Duce was not immediately available and a few minutes later Schuschnigg canceled the call.

The Duce, according to Ciano, had at first refused to read it and Goering declared that it was not worth answering.

Mussolini telephoned to see how the talks had gone, and Ciano replied that they had gone well, the Duce had a sudden brain storm.

The Duce is anxious that I prove to the Germans, by documentary evidence, that the outbreak of war at this time would be folly.

The Duce is more than ever convinced of the necessity of delaying the conflict.

When the hour struck for the common fight he would always be found at the side of the Duce, come what may.

The letter was telephoned by Ribbentrop personally to the German ambassador in Rome and reached the Duce at 3:20 P.

August 25, the Duce, then, knew that the German attack on Poland was about to take place.

Pact England-Poland of August 25, noon, and information from Duce that he would be true to his word but has to ask for large supply of raw materials.

I would also ask you, Duce, if you possibly can, by demonstrative military measures, at least to compel Britain and France to tie down certain of their forces, or at all events to leave them in uncertainty.

I also thank you, Duce, for everything which you will do in future for the common cause of Fascism and National Socialism.

Since the text of those notes giving notice that Britain and France would go to war unless the German troops were withdrawn from Poland was made public the same evening, it is interesting that Mussolini, now clutching desperately at every straw - or even at straws which were not there - went ahead the next morning in a further appeal to Hitler just as if he, the Duce, did not take the Anglo-French warnings at face value.