Benito Mussolini was the leader associated with the rise of fascism in Italy prior to World War II.
Prior to World War II, the leader most closely associated with the rise of fascism in Italy was Benito Mussolini. Mussolini, as the dictator of Italy in the 1920s, played a pivotal role in popularizing the term fascism, which stemmed from the symbol of power and unity in ancient Rome. He led the Italian Fascist Party and created a totalitarian regime, dismantling democracy and concentrating political power in his hands.
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