Foreign Policy Flashcards
Why did Mussolini desire to have a strong foreign policy?
- Weak foreign policy contributed to collapse of Liberal Italy (e.g Mutilated victory)
- Wanted to establish Italy as a ‘great power’, furthing his ides of nationalism
How could Mussolini’s choices over foreign policy be described?
- Actions were often erratic and opportunistic
* Used it to maximise his prestige and popularity than achieve material gains for Italy
What were the key aims of Mussolini’s foreign policy
- ‘to make Italy great, respected and feared’
- Stand up for Italy’s territorial claims, revising ToV settlements/overturn mutilated victory
- Expand Italian imperialism in other parts of Africa besides Lybia
- Assert greater power in the Mediterranean which was dominated by Britain
- Gain the Balkans as an Italian sphere of influence
- Create ‘spacio vitale’ for a more militant, aggressive race
What was Mussolini’s approach to foreign policy in each decade he was in power?
- 1920s : cautious, compromises with Britain and the LoN
- Early/Mid 1930s: fears around more militant Germany, sided with Britain/France
- Mid/Late 1930s: became more aggressive, conflict with Britain/LoN and greater relationship between Hitler and Mussolini
- 1940s: WW2, the desire for strong policy was greater than actual capabilities
What were tensions like between Greece and Italy before Mussolini rose to power?
Sour since 1912 due to Italy claiming the Dodecanese Islands
Describe the events of the relations between Greece and Italy in 1923
- 27th August - Italian General Enrico Tellini and 4 of his staff were assassinated in Greece, had been working to set up a peace settlement/establishing Greek-Albanian boundary
- Mussolini blamed Greek government for financing/carrying out assassination. Demanded a full apology and 50 million lire or the Italiam army would invade Corfu
- August 31st - Italy bombarded Corfu without warning and occupied island
How were the events of Corfu a success for Mussolini/Italy?
- Actions celebrated by nationalist and many withing elite elements of Italian politics incl. head of navy
- Got the 50 million lire it demanded
- Domestically showed Mussolini to be a dynamic ruler who stood up for Italy’s national pride. Helped to cement his power due to contrast to liberal government
How were the events of Corfu a failure for Mussolini/Italy?
- LoN demanded Mussolini end the occupation of Corfu, decision was also backed by Britain
- Mussolini had little choice but to comply with the LoN . 27th September withdrew
- Mussolini’s decisions were shaped by the reality of Italy’s power - head of the navy said that they wouldn’t survive 48 hours if Britain acted
- Didn’t get full apology from Greek government
- Internationally Mussolini face opposition from the league and had to accept the power exerted by Britain and France
What happened in January 1924?
Yugoslavia recognised the Italian-speaking city of Fiume as being part of Italy
How was Fiume a success for Italy/Mussolini?
- Had historical significance of d’Annunzio’s occupation of the city, seen to be very significant for nationalism in Italy
- Showed Mussolini as able to achieve what the liberal government had not
How was Fiume a failure for Italy/Mussolini?
- Was mainly symbolic, Yugoslavia now had Split as a port
- Italy recognised Yugoslavian rule of Susak in exchange for Fiume
- No material gains for Italy
How did Mussolini treat Yugoslavia from after Fiume?
- Funded ethnic minorities such as the Croats who opposed the government
- In 1934 Croatian terrorists - funded and training on bases provided by Italian fascist - assassinated the Yugoslavian king
- Yugoslavia did not antagonise Italy but also refused to be intimidated into subservience
How did Mussolini get involved in Albania?
- 1924 - Italian sponsored local chieftain, Ahmed Zog took power on border of Albania and Yugoslavia
- Fascists continued to support Zog with money, encouraged Italian companies to invest in Albania and sent Italian officers to advise the Albanian army
- By 1926 Albania was little more than a satellite state to Italy
How did Mussolini advance Italian influence in Lybia?
- Continues ‘pacification of Lybia’ begun by Liberals
- Used brutal measure of poison gas, mass executions and use of concentration camps
- 1/3 of the population were killed or starved to death including 40,000 in concentration camps
- Put down Lybian rebellion in 1932
What helped to shaped Italian relations with Britain, France and Germany?
The contrast between the desires of Mussolini’s foreign policy and the reality of Italy’s military and diplomatic power
What happened with the Locarno pact?
- Saw Germany join the
- Mussolini tried, unsuccessfully, link in negotiations around the Austrian border with Italy
- Portrayed involvement as success to Italian people as being part of a prestigious conference
What issues saw unity/agreement between Italy and Britain?
- Historically had good relations
- Mussolini was well liked by Churchill and foreign minister Austen Chamberlin
- Revaluation of the Lira was dependant on funding from Britain - so Mussolini had to be diplomatic
What issues saw disagreement between Italy and Britain?
- Mediterranean was dominated by Britain and would not concede any power
- Mussolini tried to undermine British power by supporting pro Italian groups in Malta
- Italy unable to stand up to Britain re. Corfu
Overall what were Italian British relations like between 1922 and 1935?
- Mainly good
- Dominated by Britain and Italy having to comply due to political and socio-economic reasons
- Tension over the Mediterranean meant that in the surface they had a good relation but underneath it was tenser
What were the several areas of tensions between Italy and France?
- Mussolini saw France as a major competitor in Africa and the Mediterranean
- France controlled Tunisia which had a high Italian speaking population, the French were suspicious of Mussolini
- Mussolini unsuccessfully tried to look into an anti-french alliance with German, Hungary and Spain
- The majority of antifascist exiles from Italy lived in France, so OVRA were spying in France
Where was there an agreement between the French and Italians?
They helped to create the Locarno Pact together
Where were there disagreements between Germany and Italy?
- Mussolini had little respect for Weimar Germany, said it was run by socialist and pacifists
- Mussolini attempted to create the four power (Italy, Germany, France, Britain) pact but failed
- Mussolini mobilised four divisions in 1934 when Hitler first attempted the Anschluss, seen to stop union
- Mussolini was worried Hitler coming to power and the Anschluss could have threatened Italian power in the Balkans
- Personal insults were thrown between the two - Mussolini called Hiter a ‘horrible sexual degenerate’
Why did Hitler not entirely shun Mussolini?
In the early years, he was interested in building relations with another fascist nation
What was the Stressa Front?
- An alliance between Italy France and Britain
* They declared their desire for peace and continuing commitment to the League of Nations