4 Flashcards
Why were Mussolini’s long term foreign policy’s difficult to understand?
His actions tended to be erratic and opportunistic than carefully planned out and achieving any material gain for Italy
What was the key goal for Mussolini’s foreign policy
Becoming a world power - standing up for Italy’s territorial gains and wherever possible, revising the terms of the Versailles settlements that Italy had disagreed on in 1919, in order to overcome the shame of the mutilated victory.
What did Mussolini want to achieve in Africa?
Wanted to consolidate rule in Libya and Abyssinia, whilst expanding Italian imperialism in other parts of Africa as well
Why did Italy want power in the Mediterranean
He believed it was unfairly dominated by the British and thus it made Italy a ‘prisoner of the sea’
What did Mussolini hope Italians would be turned into?
A more militant and aggressive race who would claim Italy’s position as a dominant European power and achieve the expansion of italys living space.
Why was Mussolini afraid of Hitler and what did he do?
He was afraid of hitlers rise to power and how his actions towards Germany have a more militaristic stance. So he sought to Britain and France for an alliance that would restrict hitlers foreign policy aims
What later on in Mussolini’s dictatorship would cause a conflict of interest with the League of Nations and Britain, and what did this lead him to do?
Mussolini’s more aggressive foreign policy aims in Africa would cause conflict with Britain and the LoN, leading to a growing relationship between Hitler and Mussolini and Italy’s intervention in the Spanish war.
After the first world war - how did Mussolini want to deal with the more major powers compared to the smaller ones.
With the bigger powers, Mussolini travelled to places like Switzerland and London negotiate issues following the first world war, like reparation payments, to show that Italy was able to work peacefully and collectively in world affairs. However with the smaller powers, Mussolini wasn’t as cautious, he was prepared to be more aggressive. Such as Greece, which he viewed as an inferior nation to Italy.
What smaller nations did Mussolini want?
Mussolini had interests in the Dodecanese islands, which had been claimed by italy in 1912. This lead to many international issues discussing the territory.
Who and when was the italian person murdered doing what?
The Italian general, Enrico Tellini, was leading an inter allied commission on drawing the borders between Greece and Albania. He was murdered on the 27th of august - 1923
What did mussolini do in response to the murder of Enrico Tellini?
He used this to attack the greek government - claiming they financed the assasination of Tellini, or that they possilbly carried it out themselves. He then made a list of demands:
- The greek government to to attend a funeral service at a catholic church in athens
- This is where they would publicly honour the Italian flag
- They were to pay a sum of 50M Lire otherwise the Italian army would invade corfu
When did italy invade corfu?
on 31 august 1923, italy bombarded corfu without warning and occupied the island.
Who supported the invasion of corfu?
At home, italian nationalists celebrated mussolinis actions and many political elites.
Head of the navy - Thaon di Revel supported it.
However LoN and Britain especially that mussolini end the occupation of corfu.
What shaped mussolinis decision in leaving corfu?
If italy stayed in corfu with their navy - they wouldnt last 48 hours compared to britains navy so on the 27th of september, Italy left corfu, however after subsequent negotiations, they received the 50M Lire
Was the corfu incident a success or a failure?
It both a success and a failure. The invasion of corfu led to opposition from the League of Nations and essentially forced Italy to accept its position in relation to the other major powers of Britain and France. Mussolini also learnt from this, he would not repeat this aggressive foreign policy and preferred to achieve his aims through careful negotiations. However the domestic successes were huge. Mussolini was seen to be a dynamic leader willing to stand up for Italy’s pride. This contrasted with the perceived weak liberal government in respect it foreign policy and cemented Mussolini’s positions.
What happened to Fiume?
In jan 1924, through negotiation rather than militancy, Yugoslavia recognised Fiume as a part of Italy. Due to its historical significance, it was a popular achievement for Mussolini.
Was the gain of Fiume a success or failure?
Success - it showed Mussolini as a leader who could achieve what the liberal government could not. However Fiume’s significance was largely symbolic. Yugoslavia didn’t need it anymore as they built a larger port in split, therefore they were willing to give up Fiume in return for Italian recognition of susak, a previously disputed area. The gains were mainly domestic rather than anything materialistic
Mussolini’s also participated in the Locarno treaties, why was this important?
The Locarno pact was mainly about Germany and recognising western border and accepting pre world war borders. Mussolini tried to, and failed to, link italy and Austrian border. However the fact that he had been invited to such an important European meeting indicated to the Italian people that was was accepted and equal to the great powers. This boosted his popularity at home.
What did Mussolini do in jan 1925 and in 1928, why was this Important?
Mussolini backed Ahmet Zogu’s accession to president of Albania and in 1928 supported his self proclamation as king zog 1. Through this support and some bribery, Albania became an informal Italian protectorate. This extended Italian influence in south east Europe.
What was Mussolini’s action towards Africa?
Mussolini continued the previous liberal governments brutal war against a Libyan rebellion that started during the First World War. And Mussolini continued the pacification of Libya through brutal means such as poison gas. 1/3 of libyas population die. Rebellion was out down in 1932.
Up to 1934 - how successful was Mussolini’s foreign policy?
Overall his foreign policy was successful, as he had many domestic achievements, as well as being a world leader who would fight for Italy’s foreign policy aims, supposedly contrasting to the weak liberal governments in the past. However with the Mediterranean, Mussolini was much more cautious in directly challenging Britain, France and the league of Nations. However, as fascists consolidated power, the more aggressive the foreign-policy became.
What is a quick summary of Italy’s relationship with Britain Germany and France?
It was a highly complex relationship driven by the contrast between the realities of Italy’s military and diplomatic position and the aims of its forge in policy under Mussolini. Relations would be severely reshaped with Hitlers rise to power in 1933.
What was Italy’s relationship with Britain?
They had a good historical relationship, fighting alongside each other during the First World War and Mussolini had good relations with many important politicians such as winston Churchill and Austin chamberlain. Italy and Britain were mediators during the Locarno treaty negations and Britain helped Italian ambitions in Albania as Italy had helped the British in pressure turkey to give up an oil rich town to British Iraqi colonies.
Why did Italy’s relationship with Britain decline.
Due to Mussolini’s territorial claims in the Mediterranean, dominated by the British, their relationship declined. Britain would not even consider giving up naval control of the med. After corfu, a policy of rearmament meant that Italy could challenge British power in the med. Mussolini also tried to undermine the British by supporting pro Italian groups in Malta. Additionally Italy was economically dependant on Britain and financial markets. The revaluation of the lire in 1927 could only be achieved with British funding. Italy was still intrinsically linked with the world financial system, which was dominated by USA and Britain. Therefore it was hard for Mussolini to challenge the British and up to 1936 their relationship was ambiguous, keeping friends but building up enough military to eventually challenge them
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What was Italy’s relationship with France?
It was primarily affected due to anti fascist exiles in France. Mussolini complained at France due to anti fascist activities in Paris and France were complaining at Italy for the fact that the OVRA and the fascist security police had agents in France who infiltrated anti fascist organisations. Mussolini saw France as a rival to Italian power in the med and imperialist aims in Africa. Similarly the french were worried about Tunisia - an French colony with a large number of Italian settlers. They believed the fascists may use this to gain control of Tunisia. Italy’s relationship to France was also ambivalent - he knew the extent of French power in Europe, however he also raised the possibilities of anti french alliances with Germany Spain and Hungary but it amounted to nothing
What was Mussolini’s relationship with Germany like
It differed a lot compared to before and after Hitler was in power. Mussolini was scornful towards the Weimar Republic, whom he believed was ran by socialist and pacifists. He gave support to German nationalists who wanted to overthrow them. However he was still concerned with the German nationalists, the Nazis, about unification with Austria (Anschluss). It was seen as a danger to Italy as it meant there was no buffer between Italy and Germany. Hitler openly praised Mussolini and called him a ‘brilliant statesman’. In the early 1930s Mussolini and Hitler exchanged some letters, discussing a German - Italian alliance if Hitler came to power. However due to concerns with Anschluss, Mussolini wanted to try bring italy France Britain and Germany into a ‘four power pact’ in which Mussolini both tried to control and appease Germany.
Was the ‘The Four Power Pact’ ever ratified?
It was signed on the 15th of July 1933 but was never ratified by Britain or France. Countries such as Czechoslovakia and Poland, who feared German expansion protested against the pact
Despite the failure of the four power pact, how did mussolini later stand up to hitler an anschluss
In july 1934, austrian nazis assassinated the austrian chancellor. The austrian nazis attempted to take comtrol and continue anschluss but mussolini said no an enabled 4 divisions onto the brenner front between italy and austria. Hitler then refused to back the austrian nazis in continuing with anschluss. However at the early stage, hitler was probably looking develop good relations with italy before taking a more aggressive stance in his foreign policy.
What did hitler declare in march 1935?
He openly anounced germany’s militry rearmament that had been going on secretly for 2 years. This was a direct threat to the treaty of versailles, and alongside the attempted nazi coup in austria, added to mussolinis concern at the direction of hitlers policies
What did mussolini do in response to hitlers military announcement.
Between 11 and 13 april 1935, he met with the british and french foreign ministers and primeministers at strese to discuss what to do about hitler.
Did the stresanfront do much
No it did little apart from stating their desire for peace and their continuous commitment towards the League of Nations. However the stresa front had a bigger impact on italian ambitions in africa. Mussolini discussed with the french foreign minister, pierre laval, the idea of an anti german alliance, but only if they allowed italy to colonise Abyssinia. At stresa mussolini said he reached an implicit agreement with britain and france to support his goals in africa in return for italy’s anti german support at the stresa front. Even if he expanded in africa, britain and france would not break from the front to stop him. Later on this would cause misunderstanding and trouble with britain and france which turned mussolini to take a more aggressive foreign policy stance and draw italy into a dangerous alliance with nazi germay
