FOREIGN POLICY 1935-40 Flashcards
What evidence is there that M invaded Abyssinia due to the previous power of Italy?
M believed colonies were a part of Italys historic destiny. After all Italy was a descendant of the Roman Empire that had controlled huge areas of North Africa and dominated the med
Why did M want an expanded empire?
It would enhance Italys claim to be a great power
What evidence is there that the invasion of Abyssinia and the pursuit of a great power status was influenced by opportunism?
M recognised that the rise to power of hitler had transformed the European situation. Britain and Frances pre-occuption with responding to German FP opened the door for Italian ambitions
Why would expansion in Abyssinia be convenient given Italys colonies?
the neighbouring colonies of Somaliland and Eritrea provided convenient places from which to attack and expand Italian influence
What would be a benefit of an aggressive FP for M?
An aggressive foreign policy would satisfy those in the PNF who thought M needed to pursue a more ‘fascist’ direction
What evidence is there M invaded Abyssinia to distract from economic problems?
Domestic policies such as the corporate state, battle of the births and battle of the grain had been producing disappointing results. M recognised that foreign success may distract public attention away from home
How else was the occupation of Abyssinia arguably motivated by economic factors?
M hoped that Abyssinia would provide an export market for Italian goods, fuel autarky, drive the production of raw materials and thus alleviate discontent
How can the invasion of Abyssinia be seen as motivated by a propaganda victory for Fascism?
The invasion was seen as a way of showing the dynamism of fascism and bringing about the transformation of the Italian people into a more warlike people
What did M believe about how a great FP with regards to Italys historical influence in Africa would affect his dictatorship?
He believed that it would add to the prestige of his dictatorship. The Italian defeat by Abyssinia at Adowa in 1896 was still remembered by Italians; M believed avenging this humiliating defeat would boost the cult of il duce
What about Abyssinia’s undeveloped status was appealing?
Abyssinia lacked the means to fight a modern war. This offered the prospect of military glory on the cheap
Describe the pretext for war
In December 1934 a military confrontation took place in the Wal Wal oasis whereby 150 Abyssinians and 50 Italians were killed
What was M’s response to the confrontation at Wal Wal? How many troops were utilised?
He built up his forces through out the summer of 1935
By October he had 222,000 troops on the Abyssinian border
*The Abyssinian emperor Haile Selassie sought support from the LofN, but the league refused to intervene
When did M authorise the invasion?
3 October 1935
Describe the Italian advance?
Although Wal Wal was captured on 6 October, the sight of a humiliating military defeat in 1896, after this the advance was slow.
In 1936 the Italians finally won the war with a massive military buildup involving 600,000 troops and airpower. The final assault on the capital Adis Ababa resulted in Sellassies exile and the end of the war - May 1936
Why did Italy attain a reputation for brutality?
De Bono was replaced by Badoglio who pursued militant action, with the use of mustard gas. There was a deathtoll of 500,000 Abyssinians
What was the ramification of the invasion of A on relations with Britain and France?
Tensions grew with Britain and France, they didn’t want to push M towards Nazi Germany but recognised the need to prevent further aggression by him. They supported only limited sanctions against Italy.
What did the Hoare Laval pact state?
1935
The HL pact was a secret agreement between foreign ministers of Britain and France that proposed handing over 2/3 of Abyssinia to M. YET this was put to an end by the public outcry
What was the significance of the HL pact on M’s policy?
It appeared to Mussolini that both countries were desperate to avoid having fascist Italy as an enemy
What can be said about the attitude of Italians during the Abyssinian wars outbreak?
As the war began, many Italians remained unenthusiastic, despite orchestrated press campaigns
How many Italians listened to M’s radio broadcast? When?
It is estimated that 20 million Italians tuned in to M’s public radio broadcast on the 9 May, proclaiming Italy had gained its fascist empire
How many troops were needed to fight in Abyssinia? What is the significance of this?
The cost associated with supplying 250,000 troops that needed to fight an ongoing guerilla war was considerable
What was the response of the league to the invasion of Abyssinia? What was a weakness of this?
The league placed limited economic sanctions on Italy, banning weapons sales to Italy and placing limits on imports of Italian metal and rubber
HOWEVER oil was left off of the list of products banned for Italy to import and the Suez Canal was not closed- Had Britain chosen to close the canal, Italys vital supply route to its colonies in east africa would have been cut off
What had M hoped Italys Abyssinian colony would provide? Was this fulfilled?
The hope that the colony would provide oil & other raw materials necessary for autarky were never met
What can be said about Italy’s exports to Abyssinia?
they never materialised, with only 2% of Italian trade ever going to Abyssinia
How were the economic sanctions beneficial to M?
The sanctions were a propaganda coup for the PNF- M was portrayed as a leader standing up to the world and defying attempts to limit Italian power
What historical image to M appear to fulfil following the invasion of Abyssinia?
He appeared to be fulfilling the image of a modern caesar who was expanding the Italian empire. For M & for many Italians, Italy had now established itself as a great power
What dire economic ramifications followed the Italian invasion of Abyssinia?
The Lira devalued by 40% & The budget deficit rose from 2.5 billion to 16 billion lire
What evidence is there that the cult of il duce expanded following the invasion?
The Italian people, the royal family and the church all supported the invasion while proclaiming M’s greatness
How did the brutal invasion of Abyssinia subvert Italian perception over seas?
The brutal methods employed during the war led to a clear subversion in perception. Before M was seen as a dictator beneficial to Italy; now he was seen as a threat to peace
What mass campaign that took root during Abyssinia elucidates the transformation of the Italian people? When was it?
The Gold for Patria campaign (December 1935)
Queen Elena presented her wedding ring to be melted down in order to help the campaign against the economic sanctions. Blessed by the church, thousands of women followed the Queens actions. In return they were given steel rings that symbolised their marriage to the nation - This seemed to show that the true transformation of the Italian people was taking place
What can be said about Italys relationship from 1936?
From 1936, Italys relationship with Germany can be seen as the central facet of Italian foreign policy. M believed moving closer to Germany may draw concessions from the league.
When did Mussolini intervene in the Spanish civil war? Whose side?
July 1936
M committed Italian troops to the Spanish civil war on the side of General Franco, who was leading right-wing forces against the republican government who were backed by France and the USSR
How many troops and resources did M commit to the Spanish civil war? What was the outcome
M sent around 50,000 troops and 600 planes to fight in the Spanish civil war.
Republican resistance finally collapsed in 1939 and General Franco was victorious. Yet the war didn’t precipitate the consequences M had hoped for
How many casualties did Italy suffer during the Spanish civil war?
Casualties were relatively high with 3266 soldiers killed and 11,000 wounded
What was the effect of the Spanish civil war on the Italian economy?
It led to severe disruptions in the Italian economy, costing around 14 billion lire and required an increase in taxes for the Italian people
What did trade issues brought about by the Spanish civil war push Italy to do?
It pushed them to further reliance on Germany
Was the Spanish civil war popular among Italians?
Unlike Abyssinia, the Spanish civil war wasn’t popular with the Italian people who didn’t see it as bringing any benefits to Italy
How did the Spanish civil war demonstrate Italian weakness?
In 1939, the Italian army was weaker than it had been in 1936.
This can be highlighted when focusing upon the defeat of an Italian force by a republican army made up of anti-fascist volunteers at the battle of Guadalajara
What was the effect of Italys involvement in the Spanish civil war on its relations with Britain and France?
They continued to deteriorate
How many British ships did an Italian bombing raid sink?
In the summer of 1938, an Italian bombing raid sunk 11 British ships
Despite this the British were still trying to come to an agreement with Italy and signed the Gentlemen’s agreement in 1937 that preserved the status quo in the med
When was the Rome-Berlin axis?
1936, it was an informal agreement between the two nations that brought them closer ideologically and economically - Germany was happy about Italian reliance
When did Mussolini visit Hitler? What was the effect?
M visited H in 1937 and was impressed by Nazism. The trip convinced him that Europes future should be fascist- In 1937 Italy Germany and Japan joined the anti-comintern pact
When did M withdraw from the league of nations?
December 1937; re-affirming Italy as a country that wanted to overturn the treaty of versailles
