Benito Mussolini was Prime Minister of Italy during WWII until his ousting in 1943. He ruled constitutionally until 1925 when he set up a legal dictatorship and helped create fascism. After Germany invaded Poland to begin the war, Italy sided with Germany even though he was aware Italy did not have the military capacity to carry out a long war. Mussolini believed that after the imminent French surrender, Italy could gain territory and then he could concentrate on a major offensive in Egypt. Soon after the Allied invasion of Italy in July 1943, Mussolini was defeated by a vote and arrested. He was executed after trying to escape.

Italy

Benito Mussolini