Mussolini Foreign Policy/ Relations 1935-40 and closer to Germany

Question 1

Which pact was signed in 1936 by Italy and Germany

Answer 1

Rome Berlin axis - informal alliance between the two nations

Question 2

Why was Mussolini worried by Hitler coming to power ?

Answer 2

• Worried he would pursue Anschluss which may threaten Italian influence in the Balkans.
• Austria was also a buffer between Italy and Germany.

Question 3

What was the formal military alliance between Italy and Germany called and when was it signed ?

Answer 3

Pact of Steel - 1939

Question 4

What did Mussolini do in Dec 1937 ?

Answer 4

Withdraw from the LON

Question 5

What was Mussolini’s role at the Munich conference (1938) ?

Answer 5

• Italy was portrayed as a ‘peacemaker’ .
• But the conference confirmed to Mussolini that Britain and France were weak and convinced him of a German dominated Europe.

Question 6

When was the Anti- Comintern Pact signed and what did it state ?

Answer 6

Nov 1937
Anti communist pact between Germany, Italy and Japan but also had anti British/western identity, especially later on.

Question 7

When was Anschluss and why did it make Mussolini look weak ?

Answer 7

1938
Hitler pursued Anschluss without consulting Mussolini - shows Germany to be superior partner in informal alliance.
Gained unpopularity domestically- M did not try to prevent and the people did not want to become a German satillite sate.
Austria was a buffer between Germany and Italy.

Question 8

Why was Italy sceptical about signing the Pact of steel and what did Germany say to Italy to persuade them to sign ?

Answer 8

The pact included a clause which committed Italy to support Germany if it chose to go to war. But Italy was not ready to go to war before 1943 and Ciano ( foreign secretary) told Ribbentrop( German foreign minister) this.
Ribbentrop told Ciano that Germany had no intention of waging war before this date.

Question 9

Which unpopular domestic measure did Mussolini introduce in 1938 which further confirmed Italy’s subservience to Germany?

Answer 9

Policy to transfer Italian workers to Germany.

Question 10

What did Mussolini think about Weimar Germany ?

Answer 10

Little respect.
Believed it was run by socialists and pacifists.

Question 11

In what year did Austrian Nazis attempt a coup and what was Mussolini’s response?

Answer 11

1934
M mobilised 4 divisions helping the coup collapse.
As a result M was seen to have halted the unification of Germany and Austria.

Question 12

When did Italy invade Albania ?

Answer 12

1939

Question 13

When did Mussolini invade Abyssinia ?

Answer 13

Oct 1935

Question 14

What did the Hoare-Laval pact of December 1935 state ?

Answer 14

A secret agreement between foreign ministers of Britan and France which would have handed over 2/3 of Abyssinia to Italy but public outcry (in B and F) puts and end to the agreement.

Question 15

In what way did the inavsion of Abyssinia change the perception of Mussolini and facism overseas ?

Answer 15

Before seen as a dictaor who had been beneficial to Italy - now seen as a threat to peace.

Question 16

Which event in 1936 made the LON look weak to Mussolini ?

Answer 16

Hitlers remilitarisation of the Rhineland

Question 17

When did Mussolini commit troops to the Spanish Civil war, whose side was he on ?

Answer 17

July 1936
Sends about 50,000 troops and 600 planes
General Franco - leading the right wing forces aganist the Republican gov who were backed by the USSR and France

Question 18

How many troops did M commit to the Spanish civil war and how many planes did M send to assist Franco ?

Answer 18

50,000
600 planes

Question 19

When did the spanish civil war end ?

Answer 19

1939 (Franco victorious thanks to help from right wing allies )

Question 20

What were the negative impacts of the Spanish Civil war for M/Italy ?

Answer 20

-Cost 14 billion lire and required an increase in tax from the italian people.
-3,266 soldiers killed and 11,000 wounded
-No terrotorial gains as a result of supporting Franco
-Not popular with the Italian people.
-Weakens Italian army
-Italys relationship with Britan and France continues to deterioate.

Question 21

Which battle during the Spanish civil war highlights the weakness of the Italian army ?

Answer 21

Battle of Guadalajara- defeat of Italian force by a republican army made up of antifacist volunteers.

Question 22

How many men did M inade Abyssinia with ?

Answer 22

A massive force of 400,000 hoping for a quick and decisive victory

Question 23

How did Italys intervention in the Spanish Civil War impact Spanish /anglo relations ?

Answer 23

During the Spanish civil war Italian ships, pretending to be Spanish, sank neutral vessels in the meddeteranian, angering the British. Moreover, in the summer of 1938 an Italian bombing raid on a spanish port sunk 11 British ships.

Despite this however, British were still trying to come to an agreement with Italy and signed a “Gentleman’s Agreement” is signed on 2 January 1937 (with each party respecting the rights of the other in the Mediterranean and aimed at improving Anglo-Italian relations)