Italy Booklet 7: Italian Foreign Policy, 1922-1939 Flashcards
When was the rome-berlin axis signed?
1936
What were Mussolini’s 5 main aims of foreign policy?
To establish a modern roman empire in the Mediterranean
A successful foreign policy might distract Italians from their miserable lives
Mussolini was disappointed with the small territorial gains at Versailles
Wanted more territories to settle the surplus Italian population
Italians should expand to show their national greatness
What was the Stressa front? when was it?
1935 - A meeting between the prime ministers and foreign ministers of Italy, France and Germany to discuss what should be done in response to Hitler’s declaration that Germany had been rearming for 2 years in secret
Why did Italy and France’s relationship finally break?
France had agreed to Italy’s economic expansion into Abyssinia, but not colonisation so when Italy began its colonial war, France was angry
What specifically was Italy concerned would happen is Germany were to develop a strong government?
That they would unify with Austria who was one of Italy’s greatest enemys
What were Some reasons for the invasion of Abyssinia in 1935?
To find new resources and trade.
to gain popularity with Italian people and other nations.
To avenge the humiliation of the defeat at Adowa in 1896
What are Mussolini’s 6 key problems in terms of foreign policy?
Italy’s geographical position
Limited economic resources
Weak position after Versailles
backwardness in technology
poorer literacy and skills than competitors
weaker navy and air force than competitors
Why did the Corfu incident happen?
On 28th August 1923 an Italian general was murdered while in Greece and Mussolini used this as a reason to attack the greek government
Summarise the Corfu incident
On 31st August 1923, Italy bombarded Corfu and occupied the island. The league of nations demanded that Mussolini end the occupation of Corfu. On 27th September Italy left corfu
What happened regarding Fiume in 1924?
In January Yugoslavia recognised Fiume as being part of Italy. However Yugoslavia no longer needed it as they had built a larger port elsewhere
Summarise the four power pact of 1933
Signed in Rome in July 1933, but was never ratified by Britain or France and when Hitler came to power, Germany was no longer interested was no longer interested. This was Mussolini’s response to Hitler’s increase in power.
Summarise the Locarno Pact 1925 from Mussolini’s perspective
Mussolini tried and failed to link it negotiations on Italy and Austria’s borders, but the fact that he had been invited to such an important event was significant and increased his popularity
Outline what Mussolini did with regards to Albania in the late 1920s
He backed Ahmet Zugo’s accession to president of albania in January 1925 and his self-proclamation as King Zog I in 1928 - expanded Italian influence in south-eastern Europe at the expense of Yugoslavia
Summarise Mussolini’s war on Libya
In 1929 Marshal Badoglio took control of the war and pursued a brutal policy of starvation, mass execution chemical welfare and the use of concentration camps to bring the rebellion. Around 100,000 Libyans were forced from their homes and 40, 000 people died. It finally put an end to the Libyan rebellion in 1932.
Why was Mussolini concerned about Anschluss?
It would lead to a powerful Germany being right on the border of Italy, increasing their vulnerability
What were three key negative consequences of the invasion of Abyssinia?
It caused a rift with Britain and France and the warmer relations established at the stresa front were never recovered.
The overall economic consequences were massive with the Lira devalued by 40% and budget deficit rising to 16 billion lira
The increase that it gave Mussolini’s popularity was short term.
What were the two key economic reasons for the invasion of Abyssinia?
To develop colonies for trade and settlement
To find new resources such as oil
what were the 3 key domestic reasons for the invasion of Abyssinia?
To consolidate Italian territory in North Africa
To gain popularity and unity at home
To achieve a relatively quick and easy victory over a weak opponent
what were the 4 key international reasons for the invasion of Abyssinia?
To win respect from other nations
To take advantage of good relations with France and Britain after Stresa
To bring prestige and recreate the roman empire
To avenge the humiliation of the defeat at Adowa in 1896
What were three key positive consequences of the Abyssinian war?
It demonstrated to the world that Italy was a modern, technologically advanced power
It encouraged the alliance between Germany and Italy, with the Rome-Berlin axis being signed in 1936
It was the high point in Mussolini’s popularity as he had re-established an empire for Italy.
What were Mussolini’s motivations for getting involved in the Spanish civil war?
to fight with his new ally ‘Hitler’
to prevent the spread of communism
to spread the axis of fascist type governments across Europe
To demonstrate the superiority of the Italian military
to gain strategic or military advantages from Spain such as naval bases or a military alliance
to consolidate political position and status in Italy
