Final answer:
Adolf Hitler formed an alliance with Benito Mussolini, who was the Fascist dictator of Italy and the leader of its National Fascist Party. Their partnership was crucial to the Axis powers in World War II.
Step-by-step explanation:
Adolf Hitler allied himself with Benito Mussolini, Italy’s Fascist dictator. The leader of Italy's National Fascist Party, Mussolini became the dictator of Italy in the 1920s and formed an alliance with Hitler, leading to Italy's participation in World War II on the side of Nazi Germany. By 1943, Mussolini was deposed by the Italian people but was reinstated as a puppet ruler by Hitler soon after. Italy's policies during this era involved a focus on industrial development, dismantling of democratic institutions, and aggressive nationalism, much like Hitler's Germany. Mussolini and Hitler shared a belief in militarism and exercised their power by capitalizing on public discontent, fear, and prejudice.