During the latter part of the 19th Century Italian nationalists and those monarchists loyal to the House of Savoy pushed for the foundation of a unified Italy, which included the whole of the Italian Peninsula. Both the North and South of the unified country became industrialised and the country became a key colonial power.

In 1915, Italy joined  the Allies in World War I against Germany and soon after, despite the Allied victory, the economy collapsed. Civil unrest and political instability followed until leader of the National Fascist Party, Benito Mussolini was appointed Prime Minister in 1922. After a series of coups and laws banning the formation of political parties, Mussolini declared himself sole dictator in 1925. Mussolini formed alliances with Nazi Germany in 1936 and 1938 and with Franco’s Spain. By 1940 Italy joined World War II on Germany’s side in the latter part of the Battle of France. Mussolini invaded Greece in an attempt to emulate some of Hitler’s victories in countries like Poland, but the Italian army met with a crushing defeat. Shortly after this defeat, they were defeated in Africa and lost all of their colonies on the Horn of Africa.

Further defeats took place in Northern Africa and by 1943 the country was successfully invaded by the Allied Forces, who disbanded the fascist governement and arrested Mussolini. By September 1943, Italy had joined forces with the allies, but were invaded by the German army and were not liberated until April 1945 and  Musolini who had been imprisoned was executed by partisan soldiers.

In 1946 the King was coerced into abdication and the country was declared a Republic by way of a public vote – this was the first time in the country’s history that women had been allowed to vote. A democratic constitution was implemented in 1948 and money from the American post war Marshall Plan poured into the country causing an economic boom throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Italy joined the United Nations in 1955  and became one of the founder members of the European Union.

During the 1970s and 1980s Italy experiencved more social and political unrest resulting in the assassination of leading politician Aldo Moro. Even the Catholic Church was not exempt from attack with an attempted assisnation being made on Pope John Paul II by a Turkish man.