Chicago honors a friend of Mussolini and Hitler

Italo Balbo

At the 700th block east of Chicago is a street call Balbo Drive and Avenue. Balbo Drive is named after the Italian aviator and politician, Italo Balbo. Balbo was a Fascist who served under Benito Mussolini and a friend of the Nazis. Annoyingly visible at Balbo Drive is the Balbo’s Monument – a gift from Mussolini to the City of Chicago.

Balbo led the fascist Blackshirts in the march on Rome in 1922 and served under Mussolini as general of militia and air minister. Balbo developed Italian military and commercial aviation and became famous for promoting mass international flights to demonstrate Italy’s air power. He was appointed governor of Libya in 1933 and died when his plane was accidentally shot down by Italian guns over Tobruk.

In Germany, the Nazis held power from 1933 to 1945. Their allies included Italy, which was ruled by the dictator Benito Mussolini. With his strong encouragement, Italy built on earlier achievements and became a significant power in the world of aviation. Mussolini was the Fascist dictator of Italy during World War II. He became active in Italian politics in the first decade of the 1900s. He then spent time in exile in Switzerland and Austria, where he worked writing and editing socialist newspapers. He returned to Italy after serving in World War I and gained power and notoriety as a revolutionary nationalist. He founded the Fascist Party in 1919, used force and intimidation against political opponents and took power in 1922. Mussolini created a dictatorship and dissolved the parliament. In 1935 Mussolini invaded Ethiopia, bombed villages and massacre innocent men, women and children by using poison mustard gas. In 1939 Mussolini promised an alliance with Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany. Italy’s failures in the war led to Mussolini being removed from government, and when the war ended he was arrested, tried and executed.

Balbo Chicago’s connection

Balbo’s Monument

Balbo visited Chicago in 1933 and caused a media stir when his team of 24 SM-55 silver seaplanes flew over and landed on Lake Michigan during the Century of Progress Exposition.

Edward Kelly, Chicago Mayor at the time greeted Balbo with a big hug as he stepped ashore. Out of excitement, Kelly renamed Chicago’s 7^th Street to Balbo Drive.

In 1946, Chicago Alderman John Budingers petitioned to rename Balbo Drive in honor of a true American World War II hero Lt. Com. John Waldron, but mayor Edward Kelly and his loyal Democratic aldermen killed the petition. Lt. Com. Waldron did get his memorial, a new street just south of Soldier Field, not far from Balbo’s monument.

All attempts since Mayor Kelly to rename Balbo Drive was met by strong oppositions by groups such as the Sons of Italy and and the Legione Garibaldi. There is a serious concern that the possibility of renaming Balbo Drive will no be happening any time soon. The city is concern of not wanting to alienate the Chicago’s Italian American community.

Strangely there are no streets or statues named after Italo Balbo in Italy.