The Fall of Fascism Flashcards
1
Q
Challenges to, & fall of, Fascist State, 1935-1946:
A
- crucial problem of Italy’s weak military position & M’s grand claims often tempered by realism
- Italy’s FP from mid 1930’s pursued aggressive direction, bringing it into more conflict with Britain & France, pushing Italy towards fateful alliance with Nazi Germany
- in the end M’s attempt to pursue middle ground between B+NG to extract FP concessions, failed, M. choose to align with G in 1940
- end of WW2 ushered new political system founding of a republic
2
Q
Mussolini’s Foreign Policy aims:
A
- FP actions tended to be erratic + opportunistic aiming max prestige as opposed to achieving material gains for Italy
- Italy’s territorial claims + revising Versailles settlements to overcome shame of ‘mutilated victory’
- aimed to consolidate Libya, expand imperialism
- assert greater power in Mediterranean sea, unfairly dominated by Britain, Italy ‘prisoner of the sea’
- M. hoped Italians transform into more militant, aggressive race, claim position as dominant European power + achieve ‘spazio vitale’
- first concerned about Hitler’s rise to power, looked to B+F to join in alliance, restricting Hitler’s FP
- Fascism consolidated + became aggressive, M’s FP aims in Africa, bringing him into conflict with B + LON leading to relationship with Hitler + intervention in Spanish civil war
3
Q
Impact of foreign policy 1934:
A
- aimed at demonstrating to Europe’s great powers, Italy hoped for greater presence in world affairs & peacefully achieve aims - with smaller powers = more aggressive
- Dodecanse Islands - claimed from Greece in 1912
- 27th Aug 1923 - Italian general - Enrico Tellini, murdered leading an inter-allied commission
- Mussolini attacked Greece govt claiming they financed assassination, demanded them to attend funeral service , publicly honour the Italian flag and pay 50 mn lire/army would invade Corfu
- 31st Aug - bombarded Corfu, M’s actions celebrated by nationalists, though LON with B’s backing, demanded M. end occupation of Corfu
- Di Revel (navy) informed M. Italy’s navy would last 48 hours if B decided to act
- 27th Sept - Italy left Corfu & received 50 mn lire
- success domestically - showed he was a dynamic ruler standing up for Italy’s national pride
- Jan 1924 - Yugoslavia recognised Fiume as part of Italy - significance was symbolic
- Locarno Treaty - agreement that Germany join LON + accept pre-war borders, bringing end to problem that threatened European peace
- being invited to impt European Commission indicated Italy accepted as = to great powers
- M. backed Ahmet Zogu accession to president + supported proclamation as King Zog I - through support + bribery, Albania became informal Italian protectorate
- brutal war against Libya ‘ ‘pacification of Libya’ - through means of poison gas/starved to death
4
Q
The ‘Pacification of Libya’ (1929-1932)
A
- through 1920s, fascist italy involved in ongoing colonial war in Libya, kept quiet in the press due to slow progress of Italian armies
- 1929 - marshal Badogolio took control of Italian army and pursued brutal policy of starvation, mass execution, chemical warfare and use of conc camps
5
Q
Relations with Britain
A
- M. had good relations with British politicians
B helped I in ambitions concerning Albania - I helped gain town of Mosul for B - wich in oil - cordial relations clshed with M’s territorial claims in Mediterranean
- M. tried to undermine British power by supporting pro Italian groups in Malta
- Italy’s econ depended on B - revaluation of lira in 1927 achieved by British govt funding
6
Q
Relations with France
A
- M complained to French concerning Italian antifascist activities in Paris i.e. OVRA
- M saw F as rival to Italian power in Mediterranean + imperialist aims in Africa
7
Q
Relations with Germany
A
- M gave support G nationalist groups to overthrow WR, though concerned nationalist govt might seek to unite G + Austria
- Hitler’s withdrawal from LON _ resumption of rearmament undermined M’s aims of using ‘4 Power Pact’
- Austrian Nazis assassinated Austrian chancellor + close friend of M
- M reacted proclaiming wouldn’t allow Anchluss, Hitler refused to back Austrian Nazis
- M’s actions seen as halting H’s attempts unifying G + Austria
8
Q
The Stresa Front 1935
A
- March 1935 - Hitler openly announced G’s military rearmament that was going on secretly for 2 yrs - direct threat to T.O.V + attempted Nazi coup in Austria, added to M’s concerns at H’s policies
- 11-13 April - M met with F + B foreign + prime ministers, did little except issue a resolution stating 3 countries’ desire to peace + commitment to LON
- M claimed he reached implicit agreement to support Italy’s imperialist goals in Africa, trade off for Italy’s anti German action
- within resolution, M inserted words ‘in Europe’, claimed clear understanding from B+F it didn’t apply to Africa
- B govt later claim hadn’t understood significance of insertation of ‘in Europe’ & Laval (FFM) only approved I’s econ penetration of Abyssinia
9
Q
Invasion of Abyssinia + consequences - most significant action in relation to FP
A
- invasion linked to autarky provide raw materials + areas of agricultural expansion - give rise to X markets
- hoped Southern peasants would move to ease increasing pressure for land reform + 2ndry propaganda effect - Italian govt providing better life through emigration
- demonstration of aggressive FP - transformation of Italians into more militaristic
- create prestige of dictatorship - revenging loss of 1896 Adwa defeat
- successful campaign - demonstrate to Hitler, power of his fascist rule + dissuade him from seeking Anchluss
- Oct 1935 - seized Adwa, progress slowed in Nov, replaced head of army with Marshal Badoglio - engaged in brutal war - mass aerial bombings, illegal use of chemical weapons
- LON placed limited sanctions on imports but, left fuels out, created propaganda - M portrayed as a leader defying attempts to limit Italian power
- despite grand proclamation on 9th May - Abyssinia not fully conquered, X market never developed (2% of trade going Aby)
- lira devalued by 40% + budget deficit increasing to 16bn, use of illegal weapons changed perception of M + fascism overseas
- demonstrated weaknesses of LON + encouraged Hitler ambitions
10
Q
Intervention in Spanish Civil war + consequences
A
- SCW - 1st time Italian Fascism + German Nazism fought on the same side, gained strategic ally in Mediterranean undermining France
- M sent thousands of soldiers + artillery to Spain - no positive consequences - over 3000 soldiers killed, lira devalued + foreign currency reserves halved, territorial claims came to nothing, weakened attempts to consolidate positions in Africa
- SCW costly breakdown of relationship with B+F
11
Q
Battle of Guadalajara : March 1937
A
- 50,000 Italian troops committed to Spain, Italian fascists defeated 50 km from Madrid
- Republican army included Italian anti fascist volunteers - ‘Garibaldi brigade’ organised by the Roselli bro’s
- victory demonstrated weakness of Italy’s army
12
Q
Diplomatic breakdown of Stresa front + move towards Germany
A
- during Aby invasion, B+F came to secret agreement - Hoare-laval pact, agreed to allocate 2/3 of Aby to M in return for maintenance of Stresa Front
- M convinced LON’s sanctions prompted by B + antagonism between countries grew through SCW
- M’s intervention aimed at undermining F’s influence in Mediterranean
- Jan 1937 - ‘Gentlemen’s Agreement’ confirming status quo in Mediterranean + limited I’s intervention in SCW
- M ignored Gentlemen’s agreement + B failed to stop I’s more towards G
- SCW drew G+I closer econmically
- Nov 1937 - Italy became part of Anti-Comintern Pact establishing mutual support
- Dec 1937 - Italy withdrew from LON
- can be argued M hoped to gain concessions from B using relationship with G as a bargaining tool
March 1938 - Hitler crossed Austria border = Anchluss, M did nothing - weak - I was becoming German satellite state - Munich conference 1938 - M played prominent role by giving Sudetenland to G, avoiding a full blown war, M greeted as hero of peace
13
Q
Rome-Berlin Axis (1936)
A
- Oct 1936 - foreign minister Ciano went to berlin negotiated informal agreeement, where G would have freedom in Eastern Europe & Baltic while supporting Italian attempts to change balance of power in Mediterranean
- M proclaimed it was the ‘Axis’ by which all Europe could rotate
14
Q
Domestic tensions:
A
- 1935-1939, military spending accounted for the 80% increase in budget deficit = consumer products expensive
- Battle for Grain = worsening diet & LS fell
- economy reliant on G, increasingly unpopular policy = Italian workers transferred to G - treated poorly - showed weakness of M in respect to Hitler
- 1938 - anti semitic policy & ‘reform of customs’ + Italian army copying German goose step (passo romano) appeared ridiculous
- by 1939 - image of youthful, dynamic dictator portrayed in Cult of il Duce was harder to sustain
15
Q
Pact of Steel: 1939
A
- full alliance with G, events led M to accept Italian desires in Mediterranean = conflict with B+F
- pact set out military + econ coopoeration, article 3 - commiting Italy to support G is it chose war
- Ciano made it clear I wouldn’t be ready for war til 1943
11th Aug - Ribbentrop + Hitler told Ciano, G was planning attack on Poland, Ciano horrified by betrayal
