Francesco Coppola | |
---|---|
Born | (1878-09-27)September 27, 1878 Naples, Italy |
Died | 1957 Anacapri,Italy |
Occupation | Politician, journalist & publisher |
Literary movement | Fascism |
Francesco Coppola (September 27, 1878 – 1957) was a prominent Italian journalist and politician in the twentieth century who associated with Italiannationalism and laterItalian Fascism.[1]
From 1904 to 1908 Coppola wrote forIl Giornale d'Italia, a Rome newspaper in which he was known for expressing anti-democratic and anti-socialist sentiments.[2] In 1908, Coppola moved to writing for the Rome newspaperLa Tribuna where he began to strongly supportItalian nationalism and imperialism.[3] Two years later Coppola became one of the founders of the nationalist political party called theItalian Nationalist Association and with the support of two other prominent nationalists,Enrico Corradini andLuigi Federzoni, he launched the party's official newspaper,L'Idea Nazionale.[4] Coppola strongly supported Italy's actions in the Italo-Libyan War which resulted in the capture of Libya from theOttoman Empire.[5]
DuringWorld War I, Coppola demanded that Italy join the war. In 1916, Coppola fought on the front in theItalian army.[6] From 1917 to 1918 he undertook various nationalist propaganda missions.[7] Coppola attended theParis Peace Conference and was enraged with the territorial settlement that Italy received, accusing the Italian government and the Allies of giving Italy a "mutilated victory".[8]
In the aftermath of World War I, Coppola joinedBenito Mussolini'sFascist movement in 1919.[9] Coppola by this time was known for advocatingracist philosophy within the Fascist movement.[10] In 1923, Coppola participated in influencing the Italian Nationalist Association to join theNational Fascist Party.[11] In 1923 and 1925, Coppola served the Fascist government as an Italian delegate to theLeague of Nations.[12] In 1929 when he was made a professor at theUniversity of Perugia, Mussolini made him a member of theRoyal Academy of Italy in 1929.[13]