Impact of WW2 Flashcards
WW2 Economic impact
Italy dependent on Germany for iron and coal.
Italian steel production fell by 20%
Italian economy only working at 25% of its capacity in WW2; lots of unemployment.
Wheat production fell by 1.5 million tonnes.
Rationing at 1000 calories a day
Military defeats due to military unpreparedness
1940, less than 800,000 men ready to fight
Possessed less than 1000 effective planes
Only had 1500 armoured cars
Language barriers between officer class and conscripted peasants
Military defeats due to Mussolini’s inadequate leadership
Minister of War, Minister of Navy and Minister of Air Force so made all strategic decisions- often without consulting military experts. Often promoted officers for obedience rather than for competency. So is responsible for military lapse of judgement.
Military defeats due to military’s inadequate leadership
Money often spent on living quarters for officers.
Generals often steeped in defensive traditions of WW1 so unwilling to try air support.
Evidence of discontent for Mussolini: strikes
March 1943 100,000 workers went on stroke in Turin and later Milan.
Government succumbed to strikers’ demands and gave those forced to evacuate greater payments
Shows weakness of government
Evidence of discontent for Mussolini: Antifascist groups
Re-emergence of communist newspaper ‘L’unita’ in 1942
Formed ‘Party of Action’ between Republicans, radicals, left-leaning liberals.
Formed Christian Democrats from members of Catholic Action with church backing 1942.
1400 arrests made by secret police in 1943.
Evidence of discontent for Mussolini: Conservative Elite
End of 1942, the vatican, military leaders and industrialists began to consider how to depose Mussolini.
How to depose Mussolini and withdraw Italy from war without risking invasion from Germany?
6 months of discussions; action finally forced in September 1943 after Allies began invasion of Italy and Mussolini’s removal was more urgent.
When did British troops land in Sicily?
July 1943, controlled it in August 1943.
Who removed Mussolini from power and how?
Thee King- agreed to Grandi’s proposal 1-2 days before FGC meeting. Grandi’s motion to remove Mussolini was passed 19-7 votes. King informed Mussolini that he was to be replaced by Marshal Badoglio and was taken to prison in an ambulance.
When did the Republic of the South gain Rome?
1944
Authority in the Republic of Salo
No clear authority- Mussolini supposedly in charge but didn’t reside in Salo and gov offices were in Milan; Hitler didn’t want Mussolini to gain a clear power base.
Republican fascist Party replaced the PNF and the King’s authority not recognised.
External influence over the Republic of Salo
Made to pay 7 billion lire a month to the Nazis.
Hitler limits Mussolini’s power by not giving him a strong base.
Heavily reliant on German support once the Nazis saved Mussolini.
Republic of Salo unpopularity
Republican Fascist party only had 487000 members compared to the PNF’s 2.6m.
Threat from partisans: 30,000 partisan revenge killings.
Continued use of fear and repression to maintain control: Mussolini’s son-in-law Ciano executed, use of fascist police force, militias, army and navy.
Kingdom of the South Authority
Under control of the King and his provisional government.
Weakness: limited army; only 22 of the previous 62 divisions remained.
External influence over the Kingdom of the South
Allies directly ruled Sicily and most of Southern Italy in the form of the Allied Military Government (AMG).
Americans used the mafia to gain information and undermine the German position.
Kingdom of the South unpopularity
Poor economic conditions led to less Italian support for the Allies.
Alternative government formed in Bari led by anti-fascists who didn’t support the monarchy.
Kingdom of the South popularity
Badoglio being replaced by Bonomi in 1944 gained the government credibility.
Economic impact of WW2
Lacked clean food and water.
Millions unemployed.
Cost of living in 1945 was 23 times higher than in 1938.
Exacerbated North/South divide since civil war and fighting in the North widened the divide.
Domestic political impact of WW2
Italy voted to become a republic in June 1946: 12.7 million votes to 10.7 million.
(N/S divide exacerbated: virtually every area in the North voted to become a republic and virtually every area in the South voted against)
Introduced proportional representation.
women gained the vote.
General election June 1946: Christian Democrats got 37% of the vote, socialists 21% and Communists 19%.
Intro of president who was largely symbolic.
Prime Minister elected mainly by parliament.
Anti- fascist and too weak to replicate Mussolini’s dictatorship.
Lateran pacts remained in constitution.
Foreign political impact of WW2
Italy lost lands in Africa and had to give Fiume back to Yugoslavia
Compensation payments to Yugoslavia, Abyssinia, Greece, Albania.
