Conflict in Europe - Survey Flashcards
Aim of the LoN
Failure
Collective security - the idea that members of the league would act together to guarantee the safety of member states also was unrealistic.
e.g. Mussolini invading Abyssinia
Manchuria 1931
Japan leaves Lon – 1933. Didn’t receive any consequences despite being part of the LoN.
Germany and Italy Alliance
July 1934
- Pro-Nazi elements assassinated Austrian chancellor Mussolini responded by mobilising his troops on the Austrian border as a warning.
14 April, 1935 - Stresa Agreement signed between France, Britain and Italy in Stresa
- Designed to curb German aggression and rearmament and all countries declared that they were committed to an independent Austria and would resist future attempts by Germany to change T of V.
Broke down within 2-3 months of initial agreement just after Italy’s invasion of Abyssinia
Failure of the Stresa Agreement
The terms were vague (how the nations intended to resist Germany was not made clear)
Britain demonstrated willingness to work with Germany to further its own interests at the cost of ‘collective security’. A few months after signing of Stresa, the British concluded a unilateral naval agreement with the Germans.
Italy’s commitment to peace was non-existent
Talk of economic sanctions against Germany, but despite British and French hopes this was little more than show
Historian view on the policy of appeasement
A. J. P. Taylor.
1961 published Origins of the Second World War.
(1) Hitler had carefully planned each of the steps that led to war and;
(2) the British and French leaders had done nothing to stop him—the group known as the appeasers, led by the British prime minister, Neville Chamberlain, had been near-sighted fools.
Arms spending
Aircraft in Germany
France (Billion FR)
1932: 13.8
1939: 93.6
Britain (Million Euro)
1932: 103.3
1939: 719
Germany (Billion RM)
1932: 0.76
1939: 38
Germany 368 (1933) to 10 247 (1940)
Italy Foreign Policy
Mussolini emphasised the importance of Italian nationalism, Italian strength and military glory. A word he often used
– virility
– masculinity
– machoism.
This led to Italy becoming known as the country needing to prove itself to the rest of the world, and the masculinity of Italian men needing to have dominance.
Short term, long term ambitions of Italy
– Italy sought revision of the 1919 Paris Peace Settlement like Germany
– Mussolini knew that to be respected in Europe, Italian military power had to be developed
– He pursued rearmament, conscription and military strength.
▪ Mussolini had grandiose ideas of creating an Italian Empire
▪ During the 19th century, Italy had been late in joining the European game of empire building; its colonies consisted of patches of barren desert in Libya and the horn of Africa, he wanted to revive the glory of the Roman Empire.
Why Italy invaded Abyssinia
▪ Abyssinia was rich in resources and would have provided Italy with an increase in exports + a boost to the economy
▪ Mussolini had longed for a chance of imperial expansion
– Abyssinia provided him with that opportunity. Victory in Abyssinia is likened to the notion of reviving the Roman Empire.
▪ The country was also flanked by 2 Italian colonies
– Eritrea and Somaliland, and apart from West Africa, there was nowhere else left to colonise.
Lack of intervention Br and Fr in Abyssinia
▪ Political reality and national self- interest intervened
- Mussolini’s concern over Germany’s rearmament and Hitler’s well publicized desire to further defy the league and take over Austria drew him into agreement with the British and French
▪ Britain and France showed a lack of resolve- their proposed peace called the Hoare- Laval Pact (named after British Foreign Minister Samuel Hoare and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval)
= giving most of Abyssinia to Italy. When this became public this caused outrage and was quietly dropped.
Significance of Abyssinia
Growing bond between the dictators = cooperation with General Francisco Franco in the Spanish War in 1936 Axis Alliance
British also still allowed the Italians to use the Suez Canal.
Neither US or Germany stopped trading with Italy (not members of L of N).
- Italy left the League in December 1937.
Britain, Italy and France were more concerned with self interest than doing what was right.
Important lesson for Hitler - discord and weakness as well as reluctance of British and French to act.
Diplomatic situation that favoured dictator
Italy successfully defied L of N over Abyssinia and it became part of Mussolini’s new Italian empire
March 1936: Hitler defies T of V = fears of French realised as German army marches into the Rhineland
Hitler and Mussolini joined forces to support Franco, Spanish general, civil war against the elected govt made himself dictator.
- Britain and France chose not to be involved. Hitler and Mussolini provided Franco with aid and weapons.
Tested weapons
e.g. Messerschmitt Bf 109, which would become their frontline fighter aircraft during WWII.
Significance of the Spanish Civil War
▪ Germany and Italy’s firm backing of the nationalists cemented their relationship and further highlighted Italy’s increasingly junior status in the Axis partnership
▪ The Spanish Civil War highlighted even more the incapacity of the League. Spain was seen as the rehearsal for the bigger conflict which most people believed was going to occur at any time.
Reason for appeasement social
People didn’t want another war
Chamberlain was focused on housing, welfare/health care
People found Hitler charming, strong leader
Reason for appeasement economic
Great Depression (1929)
- Most of the early 30s the economy of UK and France unstable
Unemployment, hyperinflation
Post-WW1. Economy still recovering (20 years from WW1)
Trade prioritized with Germany
Reason for appeasement political
Data from the polls revealed public support military intervention
Fascism seen as less threatening than communism
France was politically unstable. 43 Prime Ministers between 1917 – 1940
Conservative British politicians were sympathetic
