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Although Mussolini originally opposed Italy's entry into [[World War I]] along with other socialists, he eventually changed his position.<ref name="Biography.com"/> He left the Socialist Party in 1914 due to this disagreement and joined the military in 1915.<ref name="Encyclopedia.com"/><ref name="Biography.com"/> Mussolini fought on the front line and eventually was promoted to corporal.<ref name="Biography.com"/> He left the army after being wounded in 1917 and returned to his political activities.<ref name="Encyclopedia.com"/> He strongly criticized the Italian government's apparent weakness and inability to made meaningful gains in the [[Treaty of Versailles]].<ref name="Biography.com"/>  After leaving the Socialist Party, Mussolini's ideology did not stray very far and he found inspiration in the works of [[Georges Sorel]].<ref>[https://muse.jhu.edu/article/507911/summary Marxism, Fascism, and Totalitarianism: Chapters in the Intellectual History of Radicalism by A. James Gregor (review)]</ref>  Mussolini would quip later in life that "What I am, I owe to Sorel."<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=_tumvnowcqIC&pg=PA94 Contesting Democracy]</ref>

Although Mussolini originally opposed Italy's entry into [[World War I]] along with other socialists, he eventually changed his position.<ref name="Biography.com"/> He left the Socialist Party in 1914 due to this disagreement and joined the military in 1915.<ref name="Encyclopedia.com"/><ref name="Biography.com"/> Mussolini fought on the front line and eventually was promoted to corporal.<ref name="Biography.com"/> He left the army after being wounded in 1917 and returned to his political activities.<ref name="Encyclopedia.com"/> He strongly criticized the Italian government's apparent weakness and inability to made meaningful gains in the [[Treaty of Versailles]].<ref name="Biography.com"/>  After leaving the Socialist Party, Mussolini's ideology did not stray very far and he found inspiration in the works of [[Georges Sorel]].<ref>[https://muse.jhu.edu/article/507911/summary Marxism, Fascism, and Totalitarianism: Chapters in the Intellectual History of Radicalism by A. James Gregor (review)]</ref>  Mussolini would quip later in life that "What I am, I owe to Sorel."<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=_tumvnowcqIC&pg=PA94 Contesting Democracy]</ref>

Indeed, Mussolini found appeal in the works of Sorel,<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=BsaRSSHt7bYC&pg=PA58 A Companion to Twentieth-Century Poetry]</ref> just as Sorel had made it known that he himself was a fan of Mussolini.  In 1912, while Mussolini was the editor of the newspaper ''Avanti!''(Which translates to "Forward") Sorel wrote: "Our Mussolini is no ordinary socialist! Take my word for it, you will one day see him, sword in hand, leading a holy battalion to salute the national flag of Italy. He is a fifteenth-century Italian, a Condottiere!"<ref>[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.75657/page/n473 Leaders Dreamers And Rebels], 1935</ref>

Indeed, Mussolini found appeal in the works of Sorel,<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=BsaRSSHt7bYC&pg=PA58 A Companion to Twentieth-Century Poetry]</ref> just as Sorel had made it known that he himself was a fan of Mussolini.  In 1912, while Mussolini was the editor of the newspaper ''Avanti!'' (Which translates to "Forward") Sorel wrote: "Our Mussolini is no ordinary socialist! Take my word for it, you will one day see him, sword in hand, leading a holy battalion to salute the national flag of Italy. He is a fifteenth-century Italian, a Condottiere!"<ref>[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.75657/page/n473 Leaders Dreamers And Rebels], 1935</ref>

Mussolini had founded his own newspaper, ''Popolo d'Italia'', and political movement in 1914.<ref name="Encyclopedia.com"/><ref name="Biography.com"/> The movement, called the Autonomous Fascists, took nationalistic positions and was friendly towards the bourgeoisie.<ref name="Encyclopedia.com"/> After the war, it appeared that Mussolini would not go anywhere politically, as he had started several political movement that failed.<ref name="Encyclopedia.com"/> In March 1919, Mussolini founded the Fascist Party, and he quickly became influential.<ref name="Encyclopedia.com"/><ref name="Biography.com"/> His party platform was very far-left.<ref>https://www.scribd.com/doc/8765377/Italian-Fascist-Manifesto</ref>

Mussolini had founded his own newspaper, ''Popolo d'Italia'', and political movement in 1914.<ref name="Encyclopedia.com"/><ref name="Biography.com"/> The movement, called the Autonomous Fascists, took nationalistic positions and was friendly towards the bourgeoisie.<ref name="Encyclopedia.com"/> After the war, it appeared that Mussolini would not go anywhere politically, as he had started several political movement that failed.<ref name="Encyclopedia.com"/> In March 1919, Mussolini founded the Fascist Party, and he quickly became influential.<ref name="Encyclopedia.com"/><ref name="Biography.com"/> His party platform was very far-left.<ref>https://www.scribd.com/doc/8765377/Italian-Fascist-Manifesto</ref>