Did Hitler blame Mussolini for his own failure ?
Although other Nazis disapproved of Mussolini and Fascist Italy , Hitler had long idolized Mussolini 's oratorical and visual persona , and adopted much of the symbolism of the Fascists into the Nazi Party , such as the Roman , straight - armed salute , dramatic oratory , the use of uniformed paramilitaries for political violence , and the use of mass rallies to demonstrate the power of the movement .