In September 1941, Italy's fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini, ordered the military occupation of the entire Dalmatian coast and islands (like Ragusa, Lissa, and Pago) that belonged to fascist Croatia of Ante Pavelić: he tried to annex those areas to the Governorship of Dalmatia, but was temporarily stopped by the strong opposition of Pavelić, who retained nominal control of those areas. 