For centuries their homeland was the hunting ground of warring emperors and mercenary soldiers. and until its unification late in the last century. the Italian people were not masters of their own destiny. After that epochmaking event in the 1870s and the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy. however. they took their fate in their own hands. Though the unified country was not rich in natural resources and was barely able to support its teeming millions. through the emigration of large numbers and by the acquisition of colonial areas in north Africa. they did cope with their most serious problem. But the two World Wars wrecked Italys delicate economy. and this produced new forces in the country. The birth and growth of the Fascist movement was such a force.
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emigration