Italy's international standing in 1935 Flashcards
LO: Mussolini's foreign policy aims, impact of foreign policy before 1934, relations with Britain, France, and Germany, the Stresa Front 1935
what were Mussolini’s main foreign policy aims?
achieve ‘great power’ status for Italy, making it equal to Britain and France
promote Italian prestige abroad after WW1
address ‘mutilated victory’ and gain Fiume and the Dodecanese Islands
establish Italian dominance in Mediterranean
exert Italian influence in Adriatic Sea and the Balkans (esp Albania)
gain strong Empire
popularise fascism abroad
what was Italy’s international position in 1922 when Mussolini came to power?
in 1922, Italy had little influence on international stage, and Mussolini sought to change this
how did Mussolini feel about Britain and France in relation to the TofV?
he wanted to maintain good relations with Britain and France, but these countries supported the TofV, which Mussolini wanted to reverse
what was Mussolini’s ‘theory of encirclement’?
Mussolini viewed Italy as a prisoner of the Mediterranean, surrounded by British and French military bases.
He declared his intention to destroy the British Empire, making this theory central to his foreign policy
what incident led Mussolini to demand reparations from Greece in 1923?
Enrico Tellini, an Italian general, and 4 of his aides were assassinated during a diplomatic mission in Greece on 17th August 1923
what were Mussolini’s demands after the assassination of Enrico Tellini in 1923?
he demanded an official apology, the attendance of Greek govt members at the funeral, a salute by the Greek navy, a 50 million lire indemnity, and the arrest and execution of those responsible
how did Mussolini respond when Greece refused his demands after the Corfu incident?
Mussolini ordered the bombardment and occupation of Corfu on 31st August 1923
what was the outcome of the Corfu incident?
the League of Nations forced Greece to pay the indemnity, but Mussolini had to retreat from the island due to the power of the British and French military
how was Mussolini depicted in Italy after the Corfu incident?
Mussolini was portrayed as a hero, but the incident revealed the constraints of Italian foreign policy
what was the result of the Pact of Rome and when was this?
1924
it resulted in the ceding of Fiume to Italy, which greatly increased Mussolini’s prestige in Italy, although Fiume later went into economic decline
how did Mussolini influence Albania in 1924?
Mussolini supported Ahmed Zog, who came to power in Albania, providing financial and political support
in 1926, Italy signed a Treaty of Friendship with Albania, making it a satellite state
what actions did Mussolini take to destabilise Yugoslavia?
Mussolini supported separatist Croatian groups and right-wing militias in an effort to destabilise Yugoslavia and assert Italy’s influence in the Balkans
what was the purpose of the Locarno Treaties in 1925?
the Locarno Treaties aimed to ease tensions in Europe by confiming Germany’s western borders and the demilitarised Rhineland zone
Mussolini attended as a representative of Italy
how did Mussolini arrive at the Locarno Conference, and how was his appearance received?
Mussolini made a dramatic entrance by speedboat with an aggressive Fascist bodyguard, but the European press viewed it with contempt, and he avoided such appearances in the future
what was the purpose of the Kellogg-Briand Pact, when, and how did Mussolini respond to it?
the Kellog-Briand Pact outlawed war as a means of conflict resolution. Mussolini tried to demonstrate his influence but dismissed the pact shortly after it was signed
what was Mussolini’s attitude toward the Kellogg-Briand Pact after it was signed?
Mussolini dismissed the pact in a speech to the Italian parliament, showing that it had little impact on Italy
1928
what was the ‘Pacification of Libya’ and how did it affect Libya’s population?
the ‘Pacification of Libya’ (1919-32) was a brutal colonial war in which around a third of Libya’s population were either killed or starved
Mussolini’s forces used poison gas, mass executions, and concentration camps
how did Mussolini’s forces respond to the Libyan rebellion in the late 1920s?
under Marshall Badoglio, Italy used starvation, mass executions, chemical warfare, and concentration camps to quell the rebellion.
Rebel leader Omar el Mukhtar was captured and executed in 1931
what was the impact of Mussolini’s actions in Libya on the local population?
around 100,000 Libyans were forced from their homes, and an estimated 40,000 died in or while being transported to concentration camps
how did Mussolini portray himself in relation to Britain and France’s interests in Western Europe?
he portrayed himself as a model statesman supportive of Britain and France’s interests, maintaining Italy’s membership in the League of Nations and signing agreements such as pacts
what was Mussolini’s stance on the agreements he signed with Britain and France?
although he signed pacts, Mussolini spoke lightly of them as ‘mere pieces of paper’ and was prepared to exploit international developments for Italy’s benefit, while seeking to increase his own prestige
how did Mussolini aim to win the favour of Britain and France?
Mussolini hoped his actions would lead to concessions in Italy’s favour by portraying himself as supportive of their interests, and he aimed to resolve tensions, like the border dispute between Libya and Egypt, through agreements with Britain
why did Mussolini support a strong right-wing Germany?
he believed this would counterbalance Britain and France’s power and be sympathetic to fascism, so he supported right wing political groups in Germany and allowed them to train in Italy
what was Mussolini’s reaction when Hitler came to power in 1933?
he initially felt tense relations with Hitler, fearing that a resurgent Germany might overshadow Italy and diminish Mussolini’s influence
