Early Foreign policy

Question 1

What can be said about Mussolini’s fixation with foreign policy?

Answer 1

since one of the key reasons for the demise of the liberal state was its foreign policy, it is perhaps unsurprising that M saw strong foreign policy as a key point

Question 2

What were M’s general foreign policy aims from the start?

Answer 2

• Stand up for Italys territorial claims & where possible revising the versailles settlement to overcome the shame of the mutilated victory

-Africa: consolidate Italys rule in Libya and expand Italian imperialism in other parts of Africa

-Assert great power for Italy in the Mediterranean, which was unfairly dominated by Britain

-Gain the Balkans as an Italian ‘sphere of influence’

*Ultimately M hoped that Italians would be transformed into a more militant aggressive race & achieve the expansion of ‘Spazio vitale’

Question 3

Characterise M’s varying approaches to foreign policy in differing Time periods

Answer 3

1920’s; while the fascists were consolidating their power, Mussolini was much more cautious eg compromised with the LofN

Early/Mid 1930’s; concerned about hitlers rise to power and the actions of a more militant Germany - looked to Britain and France for a solution

Mid/late 1930’s; as fascism consolidated and became much more aggressive, Mussolini’s FP brought him into conflict with Britain and the LofN- Italian-German relations developed

Question 4

Who was assassinated in Greece? When?

Answer 4

August 1923

An Italian general, Enrico Tellini, and 4 of his staff were assassinated in Greece. They had been working on an international boundary commission and were advising the precise location of the greek Albanian border

Question 5

Why was there a history of enmity between Italy and Greece?

Answer 5

Relations had been sour since 1912 when Italy had claimed the dodecanese island, precipitating international discussions about territory

Question 6

How did M respond to the assassination of Tellini?

Answer 6

He blamed the greek gov for financing or even carrying out the assassination and demanded a full apology with 50 million lire compensation, otherwise the Italians would invade corfu-

On 31 August 1923, Italy bombarded corfu without warning and occupied the island

Question 7

What were the successes of the greek occupation?

Answer 7

-M’s actions were celebrated by Italian nationalists and many within elite elements of Italian politics, including the head of the navy

-Italy did achieve the 50 million lire compensation they had demanded

-Domestically, M had shown he was a dynamic leader willing to engage in decisive action to defend national pride. This was in marked contrast with the ineptitude of the previous liberal gov

Question 8

What were negative consequences of Greece?

Answer 8

-The LofN demanded that M end its occupation of Corfu. Britain, with its strong med fleet backed the decision. M was forced to leave

-M’s decision was shaped by the reality of Italys position with the head of the Navy informing M that Italy would barely last 48 hours if Britain deployed their navy

-M didn’t receive the full apology

-Internationally, M had faced opposition from the league and been forced to accept Italys position in relation to the great power. M adopted a much more cautious FP through the 1920’s and didn’t repeat this aggression

Question 9

When did Yugoslavia recognise Fiume as Italian?

Answer 9

Jan 1924

Question 10

What were the successes of this recognition of Fiume?

Answer 10

Given Fiumes significance in respect to the historical memory of D’Annunzio, this diplomatic success was a very popular achievement by M

This again seemed to show M as a leader who could achieve what the liberals couldn’t

Question 11

What were the limitations to Yugoslavias recognition of Fiume?

Answer 11

-Fiume’s significance was only really symbolic; Yugoslavia no longer needed Fiume as they had a port at split

-In return for Fiume, Italy had to recognise Yugoslavias rule over Susak, another disputed territory

-As with Corfu, there were. no material gains or achievements for Italy internationally

Question 12

Who managed to take control in Albania? When?

Answer 12

in 1924 a local chieftain, Ahmed Zog managed to take power in Albania

Question 13

What did the PNF do upon Zog’s attainment of power in Albania? What was the significance?

Answer 13

the PNF gov supplies Zog with money, encouraging Italian companies to invest in Albania and employing Italian officers and advisors

A treaty of friendship was signed and by 1926 Albania was little more than satellite state

Question 14

What was the effect of Italy seizing control of Albania?

Answer 14

This extended Italian influence in SE Europe at the expense of Yugoslavia.

M also undermined Yugoslavia by funding ethnic minorities such as the croats, who wanted to break away. In 1934, Croatian terrorists financed by the PNF & provided with a training base in Italy, assassinated the Yugoslavian king

Question 15

When were the Locarno treaties? What did they say?

Answer 15

1925; A conference of representatives from Britain, France, Germany and Italy was held in Locarno to ease the tensions in Europe and settle border disputes.

Germany was able to take its place in the LofN & accept its borders with France and Belgium. Although Italy didn’t get concessions it was happy to be seen as a major European power

Question 16

What policy early on did M enact to fulfil colonial expansion in Africa?

Answer 16

The pacification of Libya, an attempt started by the liberals to end the Libyan rebellion against Italian colonial rule

Question 17

What methods did M use during the pacification of Libya?

Answer 17

M used brutal methods such as poison gas, starvation, mass execution and the use of concentration camps

Question 18

What was the extent of death inflicted on the Libyans by the Italians?

Answer 18

Around 1/3 of Libya’s population were either killed or starved to death, including 40,000 who died in or while being transported to concentration camps

Question 19

Was the Libyan pacification successful?

Answer 19

Despite slow progress throughout the 1920’s, Italy finally put down the Libyan rebellion in 1932. YET the details of this policy were kept quiet in the press

Question 20

How did M see relations with France?

Answer 20

M saw France as a rival in terms of their power in the med and also their imperialist aims in North Africa- He knew he had to cooperate with France but was willing to challenge their power

Question 21

What disagreements occurred early on between Italy and France?

Answer 21

-The majority of anti-fascist exiles lived in France. The OVRA (Italian secret police) ran agents and operations in France

-M saw France as a rival in the med and Africa

-M unsuccessfully looked into an anti-french alliance with Germany Spain and Hungary

Question 22

What agreements were there between Italy and France?

Answer 22

-M worked with French to create the locarno pact 1925

Question 23

How do Italys relations with Austria elude to tensions with Germany?

Answer 23

Mussolini encouraged Dolfuss, the Austrian chancellor to establish a r/w anti-Nazi regime modelled on Italian fascism. The chancellor attempted to do this but was assassinated in July 1934 by nazi sympathisers

Question 24

What general disagreements pertained between Italy and Germany?

Answer 24

-M had little respect for weimar Germany seeing it as ran by pacifists and socialists

-Feared Hitlers rise to power; Anschluss may threaten Italian influence in the Balkans and remove the buffer

-M’s attempt to create a ‘4 power pact’ (G,I,B,F) was never ratified over the armaments issue

-M mobilised four Italian divisions helping an Austrian-Nazi coup collapse

Question 25

What did M call Hitler?

Answer 25

A ‘muddle headed fellow’ and later a ‘sexual degenerate’

Question 26

What, although threatening, did M use regarding Germanys position to his own advantage?

Answer 26

M capitalised off of the threat of Germany, believing a strong and resurgent Germany would frighten Britain and France and make them more amenable to Italys demands

Question 27

What can be said about an agreement between Italy and Germany early on?

Answer 27

In his early years in power, Hitler was interested in building good relations with Italy as another fascist country

Question 28

What disagreements existed between Germany and Britain?

Answer 28

-The Med was dominated by Britain; Italy was unable to stand up to Britain over the corfu incident in 1923

-M tried to undermine British power by supporting pro-Italian groups in Malta

Question 29

How was Italy economically dependant on Britain?

Answer 29

The revaluation of the lira was dependent on funding from Britain; this ENSURED diplomatic relations

Question 30

What agreements existed between Italy and Britain?

Answer 30

Italy had historically always had good relations with Britain

M was on good terms with the likes of Churchill & the foreign secretary Chamberlin

Question 31

What can be said about Italys diplomatic relations in this early period?

Answer 31

M’s relations with Germany, Britain and France were driven by the realities of Italys military and diplomatic position

Question 32

What was M wary of with Britain and France?

Answer 32

He was wary of straining relations. He portrayed himself as supportive of their interests.

Question 33

What actions demonstrated M’s attempts to pacify Britain and France?

Answer 33

• Italy remained a member of the LofN until 1937
  -M signed the Locarno treaties
  -M signed the Kellogg-Brian pact (1928)
  -He reached an agreement with Britain about colonial borders in Northern Africa

Question 34

What was the Kellogg-Briand pact?

Answer 34

1928
It attempted to outlaw war as a means of resolving conflict yet the pact carried little weight with the powers

Question 35

When was the Stresa front? What was it?

Answer 35

1935

A meeting attended by Britiin, France and Italy (called by M) following Hitlers announcement of re-armament

Question 36

What was agreed at the Stresa front?

Answer 36

-All 3 powers criticised German re-armamenr, which contravened the T of V
-They all agreed to co-operate to prevent any country from abandoning previously agreed peace treaties
-They affirmed their support for the 1925 Locarno treaties
-They agreed to support an independent Austria

Question 37

Why was the Stresa front undermined/ collapsed?

Answer 37

The Anglo-German naval agreement (1935), demonstrated a willingness on Britains behalf to co-operate with Italy

More importantly was Italys growing colonial ambitions in Africa. Mussolini claimed that he had reached an agreement with both France and Britain to support Italys imperialist goals in Africa as a trade off for their anti-german stance. B & F interpreted this differently