How significant was the consequences of Mussolini's more aggressive foreign policy between 1935-40 Flashcards
1
Q
Invasion of Abyssinia
A
In return of assisting Britain and France to keep European peace, Mussolini wanted an African empire, communicating this to civilians and military leaders in 1934.
2
Q
What were the international aims of Mussolini’s invasion of Abyssinia
A
- Avenge the 1896 Adowa defeat and consolidate Italy’s position in East Africa.
- Long-held Italian nationalist dream - competing with other European powers to show Italy as an imperial power.
3
Q
Political aims of the invasion of Abyssinia
A
- Develop the cult of the il Duce.
- Foster excitement and support at home.
- Shows the dynamism of Fascism to transform the Italian people to be war-like.
4
Q
Economic aims of the invasion of Abyssinia
A
- War-planning helped the economy - commissioned war-related contracts in 1932 to fuel industry, equipment and transport required for a colonial war.
- Attain raw materials and areas for agricultural expansion to achieve autarky.
- Sending southern peasants work in Abyssinia - a secondary propaganda effect rather than Italians leaving for foreign countries and land reforms.
5
Q
Why did the invasion of Abyssinia take place particularly in 1935?
A
- Divert attention from the failings of the Corporate State and the Depression.
- Exploit the favourable international situation.
- Show Hitler Italy’s power, and to get war over before Germany grew too strong.
- At Stresa, Mussolini gained the impression that the British and French would have no objection to Italy making gains.
6
Q
Features of the invasion of Abyssinia
A
- Oct 1935 = Mussolini and the fascists launched an invasion with 400K troops.
- Like Libya, used brutal methods of warfare e.g poisonous chemicals, aerial bombings and murdering Prisoners of Wars.
- Killed 250,000 Ethiopians.
7
Q
How did propaganda portray the invasion of Abyssinia and what was the reality
A
- Glorify Italy’s political prowess - masked the death and destruction caused by a brutal conflict between Italy and Abyssinia which was a barbarous and uncivilised state who declared war.
- In reality, it was Italian-dominated - used mustard gas and aircraft for the brutal subjection of the ill-equipped African troops and there was orders for 10 Abssinians to be killed for one italian casualty.
8
Q
Positive consequences of the Abyssinia war
A
- Apex of Mussolini’s reign.
- Consolidated Italian territory in ‘Italian East Africa’ - ending the Anglo-French dominance in the region (conflicted between their obligations to prevent war as the LON and prevent Musso’s hostility to them).
- Sanctioned didn’t include oil and the British never closed the British-controlled Suez Canal, connecting the oil-rich Arabian Gulf with the Mediterranean.
- The Church praised the civilising mission and Mussolini appeared to be standing up to the world and defying attempts to limit Italian power.
9
Q
Negative consequences of the Abyssinia war
A
- ⅔ left unconquered and was eventually taken by Britain in 1941.
- Trade of raw goods never materialised because of the high financial cost of invasion - didn’t help autarky. So, LON sanctions forced trade shifts to Germany.
- Failed to attract the millions of potential emigrants, and admin and policing significantly drained the Italian treasury.
- Tarnished Mussolini’s reputation as a stable leader - a danger to European peace.
- Budget deficit rose from 2.5 billion to 16 billion lire. Devalued the lira by 40% in October 1936.
- Changed Mussolini’s perception of foreign affairs and Europe’s political direction - ‘showed’ the weaknesses of F/B and that aggressive action would enhance his own power domestically and challenge the old belief of power in Europe.
10
Q
Intervention of the Spanish War
A
- Committed 50k Italian troops, 900 planes and 200 bonds in July 1936 on Franco’s side against the Spanish Govt (supported by France and the USSR) alongside Hitler.
- Done to: pressure B/F to make concessions, gain a strategic ally in the Med, naval bases and Abyssina had showed the domestic benefits that foreign adventures could bring.
11
Q
Despite being successful, why was the Spanish war not beneficial to Italy
A
- Unanticipated length with high casualties (3,200 killed)
- Severe economic disruption = cost 14b lire and forced special taxes - devalued the lire and halted foreign currency reserves. Pushed Italy to depend on Germany.
- Franco was determined to not allow Spain to be made an Italian satellite state, making no naval concessions to Italy - pushed to G and cost relationship with B/F.
- Unpopular and people resented the economic crisis.
- Weakened the military in 1939 = defeated by a publican army of anti-fascist workers and Spain didn’t return much of the equipment send (held back the drive towards rearmament).
12
Q
What caused the creation of the Stresa Front and its breakdown
Including the move to Hitler
A
- Not driven by ideology, but rather gradual change as Mussolini initally disliked Hitler and feared Anschluss, prompting the anti-German SF.
- Broken by the Anglo-German Naval agreement and collapsed after Abyssina because of the press’s negative response to B/F giving 2/3 of Abyssina to Mussolini - changed direction.
- Musso believed Britan prompted the LON’s sanctions and the antagonism grew due to the Spanish Civil War.
- Attacked neural shipping - angered the British. But - signed the Gentlemen’s Agreement but did little to stop Italy’s move to Germany.
13
Q
Move to Germany
A
- Nov 1936 = Rome-Axis Agreement and Germany took on Italy’s economic problems.
- Anti-Cominterm Pact with Germany and Japan = establish mutual support in case of USSR, and possibly British Aggression.
- Dec 1937 = withdrew from the LON (confirmed Italy as a revisionist power), effective ending the SF.
- Still not signed any firm alliance and was in discussions with Britain, possibly to gain concessions and using his relationship with Germany as a bargainning tool.
14
Q
How had Mussolini became more submissive towards Hitler after the breakdown of the SF.
A
- March 1938 = didn’t stop Hitler’s Anschluss - unpopular as Italians feared a powerful Germany and damaged his reputation for not standing up for Italian interests.
- Rejected a full-scale military alliance = Hitler wanted to invade Czechoslovakia but it hoped to remain neutral.
- Munich Conference (1938) = help broker a deal to give up the Sudetenland to Germany - angered pro-war Italians.
15
Q
Pact of Steel
Why did Mussolini launch the invasion of Albania on April 7th, 1939
A
- Albania was an Italian protectorate - seen as compensation for Hitler taking Austria, show Musso as a dynamic leader and assist the economy.
- Failed = showed the army’s disorganisation, didn’t assist the economy or prove make an impact on European affairs.
- INSTEAD confirmed the aggressive foreign policy and pushed away Britain and France, warranting German support.
