We all know of how the dynamic between Mussolini and Hitler was where while Mussolini was initially successful in grasping power, Hitler was the one who led Germany as the main adversary of the Allies during WWII. I was wondering if there was anything after the period of grasping power that Mussolini was successful in?
History often paints Mussolini as a failure. I'd like to see if there is another side to this point of view.
What do you mean by "anything major"? Conquests? Technical/scientifical advances? Improving civil infrastructure? It's hard to give a response without knowing precisely what you're looking for, and even harder is giving one without appearing as some kind of Fascist supporter. Anyhoo - hate to be the devil's advocate, but here you go...
The Penal (1931), Civil (1942), Public Safety (1930) and Navigation (1942 again) Codes of Italy - which, by the way, are still in force after having been thoroughly de-Fascistified - are a product of Mussolini's government.
Italy's modern driving licences, as well as the slightly unremarkable fact that the entire country now drives on the right, was Mussolini's doing. Before 1929 you changed side of the road depending on the city you were in...
Italy's social security intitute (INPS) as well as the country's very own equivalent of the OSHA (INAIL) were created at the behest of the Fascist government, a fact any nostalgic retiree is eager to point out!
Italy's current school system, despite it having been needlessly reshaped in recent decades, is still based on two reforms (Gentile, 1923; Bottai, 1940) enacted under the Fascist government. Our entire middle school system itself actually dates back to the reform of 1940.
His revival of the Italian cinematographic industry, first through the adoption of dubbing and then by the establishment of a modern, grandiose set of studios in which films (as well as political propaganda...) could be produced. Cinecittà, also known as the "Hollywood on the Tiber".
The introduction of early television broadcasts - or, better, radiovision, as it was known back then (4 June 1939). However, the aforementioned TV service was hastily suspended after the country's entry into WW2 and the few archives were either scattered or lost during the war. What little remains of it can be seen below:
Appeasing the country's most devout strata, as well as finally resolving the so-called "Roman Question", by recognising a newer - not to mention considerably smalle - Papal state (today's Vatican City; 1929).
Securing Italy's disputed North-Eastern borders by means of the treaties of Rapallo (1922) and Rome (1925).
The oft-quoted, trite, abused showcase example most people are acquainted with would be the lenghty, and costly, draining of the Pontine marshes (located in what is today soutern Latium) - the newly-reclaimed land was mostly split among war veterans and an awful lot of new towns (Aprilia, Pomezia, Littoria...) were founded.
The much-needed modernisation of Rome's viary axes and the thorough modernisation of its rail infrastructure (by building the city's railway ring; the Roma-Lido line; commencing what is now line B of the Metro; the rebuild of Termini station...) is the doing of Mussolini's government.
The building of a significant portion of the country's current council housing stock.
The concurrent edification, rebuilding, renovation of countless hospitals (e.g. Rome's S. Camillo, S. Eugenio), post offices, schools, Party seats, gyms and literally whatever else the guy wanted to leave a mark on.
The modern aqueduct that serves most of Rome too was the doing of his government; the city doesn't have to rely on some 200-year-old conduit (monumental fountains are fed by these nowadays), but on the acquedotto del Peschiera - one of the most ambitious engineering projects at the time.
The rationalisation and modernisation of much of the country's railway infrastructure (such as the Bologna-Florence line, 1934) can arguably be considered his doing... and so were the prototypic 'motorways' that first connected most of the important Northern cities such as Turin and Milan (1928-35).
The conquest of Ethiopia and the (brutal) pacification of Libya. While both events were downright execrable examples of the kind of colonial policies that would've made the Belgians blush, they were very effective in:
Healing a major national trauma (specifically Adwa);
Somehow kick-starting the economy (emigration was redirected into the colonies; colossal infrastructural projects, such as the "Way of the Empire" or the renovation of colonial capitals, were undertaken);
Securing those possessions which, in the case of Libya, were in a state of near-anarchy.
As you can see, there was no shortage of accomplishments. But the regime's crimes were just as numerous.
