1922 - 39 Italian Foreign Policy

Question 1

What where the aim’s of Italy’s Foreign policy ?

Answer 1

.Create Modern Roman Empire
.Gain what they thought they should have from the TOV
.Wanted more territory to settle the Italian population and gain new resources.

Question 2

What where the key problems for Italian foreign policy?

Answer 2

.Geographical position
.Limited economic resources
.Backwards in technology
.Weaker navy and air force then competitors

Question 3

What where the main incidents that took place under Mussolini’s foreign policy from 1922 - 34?

Answer 3

.Corfu Incident 1923
.Fiume 1924
.Locarno Pact 1925
.Albania / Yugoslavia 1925 - 28 
.Libyan rebellion 1929 - 32 
.Four Power pact 1933

Question 4

What was the Corfu Incident?

Answer 4

.1923 Italian General killed at Greek border
.Mussolini blamed the Greek’s and demanded they attend a funeral service and pay 50M Lire, or he would attack Corfu.
.31 Aug, Mussolini attacked and took Corfu
.LON made Italy withdraw however made Greece pay the 50M lire.

Question 5

What happened in Fiume 1924?

Answer 5

.Yugoslavian government gave Italy Fiume in return for recognition of Yugoslavian rule over Susak.
.Mainly domestic gains with the Italian people

Question 6

What was the Locarno pact 1925?

Answer 6

.Significant agreement which saw Germany join the LON and accept the pre world war one borders between, itself Belgium and France.
.The fact Italy was invited showed the Great powers saw them as equal.

Question 7

What happened with Italian intervention with Albania and Yugoslavia?

Answer 7

.Backed Albanian president and his self proclamation as king.
.Albania became an Italian protectorate.
.Italy further undermined Yugoslavian rule by financing Croatian Ustasha and Macedonian nationalists, who would eventually assassinate the Yugoslavian king in 1934.

Question 8

What happened with Libyan rebellion?

Answer 8

.Libyan rebellion started during ww1
.1929 took control of war using; starvation, mass execution, chemical warfare and concentration camps to put down the rebellion in 1932.

Question 9

What was the four powers pact?

Answer 9

.Mussolini Brought Germany, France and Britain to Rome for the 4 powers pact.
.This brought international prestige to Italy.

Question 10

What happened with the assassination of the Austrian Chancellor Dollfuss?

Answer 10

.Dollfuss wanted to stop an Anschluss with Germany and came to Italy for help who supported him
.Was assassinated by Nazi supporters 1934
.Mussolini responded sending 40,000 troops to the border to stop Anschluss.

Question 11

What was the Stresa front 1935?

Answer 11

.Germany started rearming and creating an air force.
.Italy responded by calling France and Britain for the Stresa front, which unified the powers against Germany however was vague as to what this meant
.Britain went against the pact signing the anglo German naval agreement, which gave Mussolini the chance to stop it as well

Question 12

What were the reasons for invading Abyssinia in 1935?

Answer 12

.Build up Italian territory in East Africa
.Show Hitler that Italy was a strong state
.Propaganda Victory for Fascism
.Avenge Adowe Humiliation
.Believed France/Britain had given their support

Question 13

What happened in the Abyssinia Invasion 1935?

Answer 13

.Sent forces from Eritrea and Italian Somaliland.

.Slow progress but finally won the war in 1936.

Question 14

What was the Successes of the victory at Abyssinia?

Answer 14

Successes -
.Praise from Fascists and Public
.Praise from church
.Invaded Abyssinia

Question 15

What was the negative results the victory at Abyssinia?

Answer 15

.Huge expense as budget deficit rose to 16 billion Lire.
.Currency devaluation
.Britain and France supported economic sanctions against Italy through the League of nations
.Turned Mussolini towards Germany

Question 16

Why did Mussolini Support Franco in the Spanish Civil war form 1936?

Answer 16

.Fellow fascist
.France was supporting the republicans which would tip the balance of power in favour of France in the Mediterranean
.Did not want to be seen as a subservient to Hitler

Question 17

How did Mussolini Intervene in the Spanish civil war 1936?

Answer 17

Provided Franco with - 
.200 Italian Bombers 
.400 fighter planes
.1400 pilots
.75,000 soldiers 
.150 Tanks

Question 18

What were the successes of the Civil war?

Answer 18

.1939 Franco’s fascist forces won.

.Strengthened relationships with Germany / Spain

Question 19

What were the Weaknesses of the Civil war?

Answer 19

.Ruined relations with Britain and France
.Militarily weakened and drained
.spend 14M Lire.

Question 20

Why did Italy form a closer relationship with Germany in the later 1930’s?

Answer 20

.Worsening relationships with Britain and France
.Italian economy becoming more dependent on Germany
.Mussolini becoming more impressed by Hitler personally

Question 21

What was the Sudetenland Crisis?

Answer 21

.Germany wanted the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia
.Mussolini ordered peace conference with Germany, France and Britain
.Munich agreement signed which gave the Sudetenland to Germany
.Improved relationships with Italy and Germany
.Made Mussolini look like a peace maker

Question 22

What was the Italian annexation of Albania?

Answer 22

.1939 Italy invaded Albania for economic resources and show their prestige.
.Britain and France gave Military guarantees to surrounding countries further isolating Italy

Question 23

What was the Pact of steel 1939?

Answer 23

.Signed full Military alliance with Germany
.Mussolini made it clear they would not want to enter a war for 3 years
.Hitler ignored Mussolini and invaded Poland in 1939

Question 24

Why did Mussolini sign the Pact of Steel 1939?

Answer 24

.Fascist ideology similarities
.Break in relationship between Britain and France
.No clear foreign policy