Benito Mussolini was an Italian politician and journalist who founded the Fascist Party in 1919. He became the Prime Minister of Italy in 1922 and ruled as a dictator until 1943. Mussolini's government emphasized nationalism, militarism, and the centralization of power, often suppressing opposition through violence and propaganda. Mussolini allied Italy with Nazi Germany during World War II, which ultimately led to his downfall. In 1943, he was deposed and arrested, but he was rescued by German forces. He was captured by Italian partisans in 1945 and executed, marking the end of his regime and the Fascist movement in Italy.