foreign policy, 1935-40 Flashcards
LO: invasion of Abyssinia, intervention in Spanish Civil War, diplomatic breakdown of Stresa Front and move towards Germany, domestic tensions, Pact of Steel, Italian neutrality
when was the invasion of Abyssinia?
1935-6
how did Mussolini wrongly interpret the Stresa Front?
he thought Britain and France would quietly accept his takeover of Abyssinia as Pierre Laval promised a ‘free hand’ in Abyssinia (but vague) and Britain never said anything about it
what were some reaosns for the Abyssinia campaign?
nationalism, colonianism, avenge Adowa humiliation of 1896, show Italy as a great power (esp to Hitler), propaganda victory for fascism, increase regime’s popularity within Italy, and find new markets for Italian produces and sources of raw materials
what was the Wal Wal incident, and how did it reveal Mussolini’s intentions?
the incident in December 1934 involved military confrontation between Italian and Abyssinian forces, resulting in 150 Abyssinians and 50 Italians killed
Mussolini had authorised the fort’s construction in Abyssinian territory, signaling his intentions for future conflict
what actions did Mussolini take in preparation for the invasion?
Mussolini appointed Emilio De Bono as commander-in-chief of Italian forces in East Africa in March 1935 and stationed 220,000 troops on the Eritrean border with Abyssinia by October 1935
when did Mussolini authorise the invasion of Abyssinia, and what were the early successes?
3 Oct 1935
By 6 oct Italian forces captured Adowa, a site of a humiliating Italian defeat in 1896, marking a significant early success in the invasion
how did Mussolini deal with the slow progress of the invasion?
frustrated with the slow advnce, Mussolini removed General De Bono and appointed Pietro Badoglio as new commander in chief
what was the outcome of the invasion of Abyssinia?
by 1936, after a massive military buildup, Italy defeated Abyssinia, using 600,000 troops, air power, and mustard gas
the final assault led to the capture of Addis Ababa, the exile of Haile Selassie, and the declaration of the end of the war on 5 May 1936
what were the successes of Italy’s invasion of Abyssinia?
Mussolini was hailed as a hero, and the king was declared Emperor of Italian Territories in East Africa.
The Church supported the victory for the spread of catholicism
what were the failures of Italy’s invasion of Abyssinia?
the war led to huge financial costs, with the budget deficit rising dramatically.
the need to maintain large garrisons (250,000 troops) in Abyssinia strained resources.
the currency devaluation, trade imbalance, and continued guerrilla warfare resulted in lasting economic and political difficulties
how did the invasion of Abyssinia impact Italy’s reputation?
it was damaged, as the invasion was seen as brutal and the Italian rule in Abyssinia was repressive and corrupt
Abyssinians waged a guerrilla war until 1941
how did Mussolini’s invasion of Abyssinia affect relations with Britain and France?
they supported economic sanctions but exempted critical items like oil.
the Hoare-Laval Pact in December 1935 tried to offer a compromise, allowing Mussolini to keep large areas of Abyssinia
from 1936 onwards, relations between Mussolini and these countries deteriorated
how did Mussolini’s relationship with Germany change after the Abyssinian War?
with italy diplomatically isolated in Europe, Mussolini grew closer to Hitler and Nazi Germany, as his relationship with Britain and France became irreparable
what were the reasons for supporting Franco’s nationalists in the Spanish Civil War?
he was a fellow fascist, the war would be an opportunity to display the growing power of Italy and Fascism, and he did not want to be seen as subservient to Hitler
how much support did Italy provide to Franco?
- 200 Italian bombers
- 400 fighter planes
- 1,400 pilots
- 75,000 Italian soldiers
- 150 Italian tanks
what was Italy’s role in nationalist victory (Spanish civil war)?
by March 1939 Franco and Nationalists had defeated the Spanish republican forces
Italian air power helped, seen when Barcelona was bombed in March 1938, seriously weakening the Republican cause
the fact that USSR helped Republicans made Mussolini turn it into a cause against communism
what was the impact on relations with Britain and France (Spanish civil war)?
public opinion in Western countries turned against Mussolini
the closer relationship developed between Hitler, Franco, and Mussolini as a result of civil war meant relations with Britain were severely damaged
what was the impact on relations with Germany (Spanish civil war)?
Franco’s victory strengthened the position of Italy and Germany
but by the end of 1930s Mussolini became more dependent upon Hitler, which would have devastating consequences for Italy during WW2
what were the negative economic and military consquences (Spanish civil war)?
14 billion lire were spent
Italian trade was greatly disrupted
war sapped Italian military strength
the war was longer than expected, and 4,000 soldeirs were lost during the war
when was the intervention in the Spanish Civil war?
1936-8
why did Mussolini abandon the commitments of the Stresa Front?
he used the Anglo-Naval Pact as an opportunity, though he likely would have abandoned them for a better option
how did the relationship between Germany and Italy develop?
it was heavily influenced by the personalities of Mussolini and Hitler
how did Mussolini view Hitler by the late 1930s?
he both admired and feared Hitler’s growing power, which influenced his foreign policy
how did Mussolini perceive himself when he first met Hitler in 1934?
he saw himself as the more powerful and influential figure in Europe
