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The rise and fall of fascist Italy > Mussolini's foreign policy > Flashcards

Mussolini's foreign policy Flashcards

1
Q

What excuse did mussolini use to attack Greece government in the Corfu Crisis?

A

27 Aug 1923: An Italian general was murdered and mussolini used this to attack the greek government claiming they had financed the assassination

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2
Q

What did mussolini demand from the greek government?

A
  • demanded they attend the funeral service where they would publicly honour the Italian flag
  • pay a penalty of 50 million lire or corfu would be invaded
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3
Q

When did Italy bombard corfu?

A

31 August 1923

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4
Q

What were the reactions to the invasion of corfu?

A
  • actions were celebrated by Italian nationalists
  • league of nations with Britain backing demanded he end the occupation
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5
Q

What was the reality of the Italy’s military position?

A

They wouldn’t last 48 hours if Britain invaded

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6
Q

How did mussolini respond to the League of Nations?

A
  • 27th Sep 1923: Italy left corfu and received the 50 million lire they wanted
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7
Q

Was the corfu crisis a success

A

Success domestically as he was seen as a dynamic ruler willing to engage in decisive actions to stand up for Italy’s national pride

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8
Q

When did Yugoslavia recognise Fiume as being part of Italy?

A

jan 1924

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9
Q

Why was fiume a popular achievement?

A
  • given Fiume’s significance in respect of d’annunzio’s occupation of the city
  • showed as a leader who could achieve what the Liberal government couldn’t
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10
Q

What was Yugoslavia ready to give up Fiume in return for?

A

Italian recognition of Yugoslavian rule at Susan which was another disputed area

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11
Q

Was the success with Fiume international or domestic?

A

domestic

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12
Q

When did Italy sign the locarno treaties and why?

A

1925 and because mussolini saw this as an opportunity to increase Italy’s prominence on the international stage and promote peace in Europe

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13
Q

How was the locarno treaty disregarded in 1936?

A
  • when hitler remilitarised the Rhineland and Italy did not take significant action against Germany’s violation of the treaty as Mussolini’s interests had shifted towards his own ambitions in Africa and the balkans
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14
Q

When was the Kellogg-Briand Pact and what was its purpose?

A

27th August 1928
It was one of the many international efforts to prevent another world war

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15
Q

Was the Kellogg-b successful?

A

Nope. it had no power to enforce its ideas

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16
Q

How did mussolini expand his political interference in Albania?

A
  • he backed Ahmet Zogu’s accession to power in jan 1925 and in 1928 supported his self-proclamation as king Zog I
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17
Q

How did mussolini undermine yugoslavia?

A

By providing support to the Croatian Ustasha and Macedonia nationalist movements that aimed for separation from the newly formed Yugoslav

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18
Q

What role did Italy play in the assassination of the Yugoslavian king?

A

Financed the Croatian terrorists and provided them with a training base

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19
Q

Describe the foreign relation with Libya.

A
  • Mussolini continued the liberal government’s brutal war against the Libyan rebellion
  • Italian garrisons had been driven back towards the coast in the aftermath of the war but the liberal government had responded with a brutal occupation that aimed to end the rebellion and reassert Italian rule
  • mussolini continued the ‘pacification of Libya’ through brutal means - use of poison gas
  • 1/3 of Libya’s population was starved or killed
  • Italy put the rebellion down in 1932
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20
Q

What was Mussolini’s concern with hitler becoming chancellor of Germany in jan 1933? And what was his reaction?

A
  • because hitler was a nationalist and Austrian it was felt that he was sure to pursue the issue of anschluss
  • his reaction was to try and bring Britain , France, Germany and Italy together in the ‘four powers pact’
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21
Q

What would be the benefits of the four powers pact for Italy?

A
  • mussolini hoped to both appease and control Germany
  • hoped to undermine the League of Nations by having key decisions be made by the pact
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22
Q

Which countries protested against the pact? And what drew France away?

A
  • Czechoslovakia and Poland –> they feared German expansion
  • Czechoslovakia and Poland’s key alliance with France help draw France away from the pact
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23
Q

How did the Austrian nazis try pursuing Anschluss?

A
  • July 1934: Austrian nazis assassinated the Austrian chancellor and close friend of Mussolini’s
  • they attempted to take over and pursue Anschluss with Germany
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24
Q

What was Mussolini’s reaction at the attempt on Anschluss?

A
  • reacted strongly by proclaiming that he would not allow Anschluss mobilising four divisions and moving some equipment to the Brenner frontier between Austria and Italy
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25
Q

Internationally how were mussolini’s actions towards hitler’s attempt at annshluss seen as?

A

the key to halting hitler’t attempts at unifying germany and Austria

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26
Q

When did hitler announce Germany’s military rearmament had been going on for two years?

A

March 1935

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27
Q

What did mussolini do in response to hitler announcing rearmament?

A
  • 11-13 April he met up with french and British foreign ministers at stress to discuss what to do
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28
Q

What was the stresa front and its purpose?

A
  • issue a resolution stating Italy, France and Britain’s desire for peace and their continuing contribution to the League of Nations
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29
Q

What did mussolini add in the stresa front to show his desire to colonise Abyssinia and what was Britain and France’s reaction?

A
  • ‘in europe’
  • Britain claimed that they did not understand the significance of the phrase and France argued that they only approved Italy’s economic penetration of Abyssinia
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30
Q

What were the motivating factors for the invasion of Abyssinia?

A
  • had war-related contracts that would help produce arms, clothing, equipment and transportation required for a Colonial war
  • autarky - raw materials in africa and provide Italy with greater export market
  • hoped southern Italian peasants would move there and take up farming easing the pressure for land reforms
  • mussolini spoke about militaristic aspects of fascism and how it would bring transformation of the Italian people into a more warlike people
  • concern in the fascist party that mussolini needed to pursue a more ‘fascist direction’
  • mussolini believed that it would add to his prestige after the shameful battle of adwa of 1896
  • it would demonstrate to hitler the power of his fascsit rule and dissuade him seeking Anschluss
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31
Q

When did mussolini invade Abyssinia?
How big was the force?
What methods were used?

A
  • October 1935
  • 400,000 men
  • mass aerial bombings, murder of prisoners of war, and the illegal use of poisonous chemicals
32
Q

When did the army enter abysinnia’s capital Addis Ababa?

A

5 may 1936

33
Q

What was on the list of sanctions placed on Italy due to the invasion of Abyssinia and what was left off?

A
  • on: weapon sales were banned
  • sanctions on rubber and metal imports
  • off: Suez Canal was not closed and oil was left off the list
34
Q

How many people listened to mussolini’s public radio broadcast on 9th may 1936? - invasion of abysinnia

A

20 million

35
Q

How did the fascists use the sanctions as propaganda?

A
  • mussolini portrayed as a leader who was standing up to the whole world and defying attempts to limit Italian power
  • strong parallels with the mutilated victory
36
Q

What was the ‘gold for patria (country)’ campaign - 18 dec 1936?

A

Queen Elena presented her wedding ring to be melted down in order to help campaign against sanctions
- thousands of women followed in her steps and were given steel rings –> showed marriage to the country key aspect of fascism

37
Q

What were the negative consequences of the invasion of Abyssinia?

A
  • 2/3 of the country was still occupied
  • costs supplying the 250,000 troops was considerable
  • only 130,000 Italians even settled in a Abyssinia
  • hope for raw materials and oil never materialised
  • exports never developed only 2% went to abysinnia
38
Q

By what percent did the lira devalue due to the Abyssinia war?

A

40%

39
Q

What were the consequences of Abyssinia internationally?

A
  • 500,000 Abyssinian death
  • illegal use of chemical weapons changed perception of mussolini overseas
  • his regime was seen as a danger to European peace
  • encouraged hitler’s own ambitions due to the failure of LON
  • beginning of a split of relations with France and Britain and step towards hitler
40
Q

Why did mussolini intervene in the Spanish civil war?

A

He believed that a step towards germany may draw concessions on Africa and mediterranean from the British and French gov

41
Q

When did mussolini commit Italian troops to the Spanish civil war?

A

July 1936

42
Q

What did mussolini hope to gain by the intervention in Spain?

A
  • gain a strategic ally in the mediterranean while France would be undermined
  • gain naval bases in the Balearic Islands
43
Q

What did mussolini send to Spain for help?

A
  • 50,000 soldiers
  • thousands of artillery aid
  • 1400 pilots
  • 400 fighters and 200 bombers
44
Q

Consequences of the Spanish civil war?

A
  • 3266 soldiers killed
  • 11,000 wounded
  • war cost 14 billion lire and required the gov to exact special taxes from population
  • lira devalued further
45
Q

Did Mussolini achieve what he hoped to achieve from the Spanish civil war ?

A

no - Franco was determined to not let Spain became a satellite state of fascist Italy and naval concessions did not happen

46
Q

How did the intervention in the Spanish civil war affect Abyssinia?

A
  • military was focused on Spain weakening their attempts in Abyssinia
47
Q

Why was the intervention in the Spanish civil war unpopular?

A
  • Italians could not understand why Italy intervened
  • they resented the economic crisis
  • also growing concern at Italy’s gradual move towards germany
48
Q

What was the hoare-laval pact and why was it dropped?

A
  • secret agreement in which British and French foreign ministers agreed to allocate 2/3 of Abyssinia to mussolini in return for the maintenance of the stresa front
  • British press found out about the pact and the public was outraged
49
Q

What actions during the Spanish civil war caused antagonism between Britain and Italy?

A
  • italian submarines pretending to be Spanish attacked and dank neutral shipping in the mediterranean - angered the British gov
  • summer 1938: an Italian bombing raid on Spanish ports sank 11 British ships
50
Q

what was the gentleman’s agreement between Britain and Italy? jan 1937

A
  • confirmed the status quo in the mediterranean and limited Italy’s intervention in the Spanish civil war
51
Q

When was the Rome-berlin axis announced?

A

nov 1936

52
Q

When did mussolini visit germany and what was he impressed by?

A

sep 1937
- impressed by what he saw: a nation, backed by a powerful military that appeared to be frantically behind the fuhrer

53
Q

when did Italy become a part of the anti-comintern pact?

A

nov 1937

54
Q

When did mussolini withdraw from the League of Nations and why?

A

dec 1937
claimed that the organisation was against Italy and its revolution

55
Q

what was the impact of Mussolini withdrawing from the LoN?

A
  • Italy seen as a revisionist power
  • the end of the stresa front
56
Q

When did hitler cross the border and start Anschluss and what was mussolini’s reaction?

A

march 1938
- mussolini made no attempt to stop hitler

57
Q

What did the Anschluss demonstrate? And why was it a failure for mussolini?

A
  • hitler was now the more powerful leader
  • could be argued from march 1938 Italy began to lose its independence and became more of a German satellite
  • failure for mussolini as it questioned his image as a leader who would always stand uo for Italy’s interests in international affairs
58
Q

What was the Munich conference of sep 1938 and what was mussolini’s role?

A
  • gave germany the Sudetenland to germany
  • apparently he played a prominent role but in reality he had been subservient to hitler during the negotiations
59
Q

what did the munich conference confirm for mussolini?

A
  • the weakness of the democratic powers and Europe would be dominated by Germany
60
Q

Describe the domestic tensions Italy was undergoing.

A
  • military spending accounted for 80% of the massive increase in the state deficit
  • quest for autarky meant many consumer products became more expensive
  • battle for grain –> worsened diet among the Italian pop
  • Italy’s economy was becoming worryingly reliant on germany
61
Q

How many Italian workers were transferred to germany by 1945 and what was wrong with this policy?

A
  • 1/2 a million
  • workers were treated poorly
  • contradicted mussolini speeches where he said that Italians workers should remain in Italy and he would ensure that they were treat with respect and dignity
  • for the Italians it confirmed mussolini’s weakness in respect to hitler
62
Q

What other policies were unpopular with the Italians?

A
  • 1938 anti-semetic decrees
  • sight of the military trying to copy the German goose step
63
Q

In April 1939 why did Mussolini invade Albania?

A
  • ciano proposed Albania as compensation for letting hitler take Austria
  • Italy could show its poor to germany and demonstrate mussolini as a dynamic leader
  • also Albania would be able assist the italian economy
64
Q

What did the invasion of Albania show?

A
  • weakness of the Italian army
  • Italian troops were unorganised and using weapons with which they had never trained
  • poor coordination between the army, navy and air force
  • invasion had little impact of European affairs or the Italian economy
  • confirmed the agression of fascist Italy
65
Q

When was the pact of steel signed?

A

may 1939

66
Q

What did the pact of steel consist of?

A
  • military and economic cooperation between the two countries
  • permanent political consultation
  • crucial element: article 3 which committed Italy to support Germany if it chose to go to war
67
Q

What did ciano make clear before signing the pact of steel?

A

Italy would not be ready to go to war before 1943 and was assured by Ribbentrop that germany did not plan to go to war before 1943

68
Q

When was ciano told that germany was planning to attack Poland?

A

11 august 1939

69
Q

When was the nazi-sovie pact signed and what did it consist of?

A

23rd august 1939
- non-aggression pact that also incorporated the division of Eastern Europe into soviet and nazi sphere

70
Q

Why was the choice of neutrality problematic for mussolini?

A
  • mussolini’s constant rhetoric linking fascism with militarism and aggression
  • mussolini would be forced to make the same choice that the liberals did in 1914
  • it would be a shameful choice
71
Q

On what did mussolini present mussolini with a wish list of supplies and what was the list?

A

26 august 1939
- 6 million tonnes of coal
- 2 mil tonnes of steel
- 150 anti-aircraft batteries of ammunition

72
Q

when did hitler release mussolini from the pact of steel?

A

27 august 1939

73
Q

What term was used instead of neutrality and who was mussolini motivated by to avoid intervention in the war?

A
  • non-belligerence
  • vatican, ciano, king and even the usa
74
Q

Why did mussolini decide to side with germany in the war?

A
  • if germany won Italy would be left with a extremely powerful German empire on its borders that could easily invade Italy
  • Italy would be able to sit at victory table without having lost many men or being engaged in a costly, long drawn-out war
75
Q

When did mussolini meet with the badoglio? what did mussolini say?

A

26th may
- mussolini said he believed that germany would be victorious by sep

76
Q

when did mussolini announce Italy would be entering war on Germany’s side?

A

10 June 1940

The rise and fall of fascist Italy (11 decks)

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