 "Il Popolo d'Italia" ran from 15 November 1914 until 24 July 1943 and became the foundation for the Fascist movement in Italy after World War I.The paper, advocating militarism and irredentism, was subsidized by the French and industrialists on the pretext of influencing Italy to join the Entente Powers.The word “socialist” was displayed on the newspaper's masthead until 1918 to attract followers to “his idea of a ‘revolutionary war.’”

Mussolini often wrote anonymously for his newspaper, such as when he mocked a proposal for an Italian copy of "Heil Hitler", or to spread his ideas about Italy increasing its birth rate.