Mussolini's foreign policy Flashcards by Myesha Munro

what position did Mussolini start in?

needed strong foreign policy to overcome the shame of the mutilated victory
Italy’s military position was weak

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What were Mussolini’s aims?

opportunistic, often focusing on his own prestige
assert position as a world power
consolidate rule and expand imperialism in Africa
sphere of influence in balkans/Mediterannean
Spazio vitale

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

how did Mussolini’s approach develop?

1920s: cautious while he consolidated power
early 1930s: concerned by Hitler’s power
late 1930s: more aggressive

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What happened in Greece/Corfu?

1923
27 August: Italian general Tellini and 4 staff assassinated in Greece
Mussolini blamed Greek gov and demanded full apology and 50m lire compensation

-31 August: bombarded Corfu without warning

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

How was Greece/Corfu a success?

celebrated by nationalists
received 50m lire
M showed self as decisive leader

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

How was Greece/Corfu a failure?

LoN forced him to leave Corfu on 27 December
Did not receive apology
forced to accept Italy’s position

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What happened in Yugoslavia and Albania?

January 1924 - Yugoslavia recognized Fiume as part of Italy
1924: Italians sponsored Ahmed Zog takes power in Albania. Is a satellite state by 1926.

-1934, Croation terrorists assassinate Yugoslavian king

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

How was Yugoslavia a success?

Diplomatic success

- achieved what the liberal government could not

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

How was Yugoslavia a failure?

Fiume’s significance was merely symbolic
Italy had to recognize Yugoslavian rule at Susak
no material gains

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What were the Locarno treaties? Were they a success?

1925
Br, Fr, Gr and Italy settle border disputes
Italy appears a major power (propaganda)

-Failed to get concessions on border with Austria. Unimportant in meeting

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What was the ‘pacification of Libya’?

poison gas, mass execution and concentration camps killed 1/3 of Libya’s population
slow progress, but Italy put down Libyan rebellion in 1932
details kept quiet in the press

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

what were Mussolini’s goals regarding relations?

-wants good relations with great powers, but still wants to challenge them and show his own power

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

How were Mussolini’s relations with Britain successful?

good terms with Chamberlin and Churchill

- Revaluation of the lire depended on funding from Br

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

How were Mussolini’s relations with Britain a failure?

Br back LoN during corfu incident
They dominate Mediterannean
-> tried to undermine them by funding pro-Italian groups in Malta

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

How were Mussolini’s relations with France successful?

-worked together on Locarno pact

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

How were Mussolini’s relations with France a failure?

open hostility/ambivalence
OVRA ran agents and operations in France
France controlled Tunisia and was worried about Italian intentions
unsuccessful anti-french alliance attempt with Gr Spain and Hungary

How were Mussolini’s relations with Germany successful?

funded nationalistic groups in WR (including the Nazis)

- in early years, wanted good relations

How were Mussolini’s relations with Germany a failure?

initially hostile and worried about Anschluss
helped Austrian Nazi coup fail
little respect for WR

What was the Stresa front? Were they a success?

Italy, Fr and Br meet to declare a desire for peace and commitment to the LoN
M claimed they met an agreement on his goals in N Africa but they deny this
Abyssinia caused conflict…

Why did desire for Prestige drive Mussolini to invade Abyssinia?

needed victory to avenge humiliating defeat at Adwa in 1896 and to boost cult of Il Duce
believed that colonies were part of Italy’s historic destiny (Roman empire)

How did economic matters drive Mussolini to invade Abyssinia?

raw materials from Abyssinia could aid autarky
military glory on the cheap
would need to produce arms, equipment and transportation for war

How did domestic problems drive Mussolini to invade Abyssinia?

satisfies PNF members who want a more fascist direction

- domestic policies so far had disappointing results

How did the desire to achieve a great power status drive Mussolini to invade Abyssinia?

rise in power of the Nazis had transformed the European situation
wants a growing empire
-> already has colonies in eritrea and Somaliland (convenient location)

what was the pretext for the Abyssinian war?

1929: Italian soldiers began to occupy disputed land
1930: built a fort on Abyssinian land
Dec 1934: Skirmish left 30 Italian troops killed
Mussolini demanded a full apology and compensation

When did Mussolini invade Abyssinia and what happened?

- October 1935: launched invased of 400,000 men - Badoglio was brutal - mass aerial bombings, illegal use of chemical warfare - 500,000 Abyssinians killed

When did the invasion of Abyssinia end?

-5th may 1936: victorious army enter Addis Ababa

How was the Abyssinian invasion a success?

- Dec 1935: Gold for Patria - sanctions were propaganda coup - M looked like the new Ceaser establishing empire (20m listen to his radio broadcast) - weak sanctions: still has Suez canal

How was the Abyssinian invasion a failure?

- lira devalued by 40% - autarky failed - many Italians were unenthusiastic - brutal war changed perception overseas

what was the effect of the Abyssinian invasion on the international situation?

- highlighted the weakness of the league of nations - -> M saw it as a sign that Br and Fr were weak -move closer to Gr began

What happened with the Spanish civil war in 1936?

-In July, Mussolini committed 50,000 troops and 600 planes to the war on the side of Franco - long war. 3,266 Italian soldiers killed - cost 14b lire, so taxes had to be increased

What was the effect of the Spanish civil war (1936)?

- pushed Italy closer to economic dependence on Germany - Italian army were even weaker by 1939, shown by defeat at Guadalajara (by antifascist volunteers) -damaged prestige

What was the Hoare-Laval pact's significance?

- caused public outcry in Br, and the new foreign secretary openly disliked M - 1938: Italians sunk 11 British ships - 1937: gentlemen's agreement showed diplomacy with Br still

How did Italy drift closer to Germany 1936-1937?

- Rome-Berlin axis 1936 - Anti-cominterm pact 1937 - Withdrew from LoN December 1937 (stresa front collapses)

What was the effect of Anschluss 1938?

- Hitler did not consult the Duce first, damaging M's prestige - Is clearly the submissive partner -in 1938 M is still rejecting a full scale military alliance with Hitler, wanting to remain in Britain's good books

Why is the Munich conference significant?

- turning point - afterwards, M made it clear to parliament that he wanted to dominate the Mediterranean - Nice, Corsica and Tunis were to be annexed from France

What was happening at home by 1938?

- people were increasingly disillusioned - quest for autarky was lowering standard of living - invasion of Albania in 1939 was meant to restore reputation - -> victory with very little fighting - ->But pushed Italy further from GB and Fr

What was the pact of steel, May 1939?

- between Gr and Italy - clause that committed Italy to support Germany if it CHOSE TO go to war - Ciano expressed concern that Italy would not be ready until 1943, but Ribbentrop claimed Gr would not go to war before then anyway

When was Ciano told that Germany planned war with Poland?

- 11 August 1939 | - Italy were trapped