Italian expansion (1933-1940) 1

Question 1

Imperialism and waging war (impact)

Answer 1

Mussolini wanted to restore national greatness through territorial expansion and war
* Promoted a violent form of imperialism
* Rejected liberal democracy and advocated a reorganisation of society against militaristic lines
* Promoted one party totalitarian state (wage war in response to economic problems)

Question 2

Imperialism and waging war (evidence)

Answer 2

• Isolated diplomatically (invasion of Ethiopia -> international condemnation + sanctions)
• Military overreach
• Strained the economy (dependent on other nations

Question 3

Spazio Vitale (impact)

Answer 3

Spazio Vitale – ‘living space’
Land centred around the Mediterranean where Italians could settle

Question 4

Spazio Vitale (evidence)

Answer 4

Drove foreign policy to aggressive expansion (justified imperial conquest as a historic mission + helped to shape the basis of diplomatic and military strategies)

Question 5

Rights of the State (impact)

Answer 5

‘Accepts individuals only in so far as his interests coincide with the state’ – duty & sacrifice to the state (individualism is not accepted as the state is more important)

Question 6

Rights of the state (evidence)

Answer 6

• individual rights were not accepted (only recognised through their role + loyalty to the state)
• state controlled economy, war, suppression of dissent
• personal freedom sacrificed for the common will

Question 7

Economic fascism (impact)

Answer 7

Economic fascism was based around making Italy economically self-sufficient through autarky + resource security

Question 8

Economis fascism (evidence)

Answer 8

• thought economic independence was essential for power -> pursuance of territory
• state controlled all industries
• increased tariffs and reduce imports
• diplomatic isolation
• strained economy

Question 9

Romanita (impact)

Answer 9

The idea centred around returning Italy to the greatness of the Roman empire

Question 10

Romanita (evidence)

Answer 10

Justified imperial expansion, militarism + nationalist based ambitions
* Aggressive foreign policy to create a roman-style empire

Question 11

Limited access to raw materials (impact)

Answer 11

Limited access to raw materials drove conquests in Ethiopia, Libya, and Albania to secure supplies.

Question 12

Limited access to raw materials (evidence)

Answer 12

• 90-95% of coals was imported (from Germany, UK, Poland) – critical for energy and steel production
• 95%-100% of oil/petroleum imported from Romania, Soviet Union etc – needed for military and industrial use
• Albania: Agrarian + had mineral wealth

Question 13

Great Depression (impact)

Answer 13

The great depression + subsequent trade deficits (5.7 billion lire by 1939) pushed Mussolini towards imperialism to distract from unemployment (1.2 million in 1933) + industrial decline

Question 14

Great depression (evidence)

Answer 14

• Industrial production dropped 20% by 1932 -> expansionism to bolster domestic support and secure resources
• Created Institute of industrial reconstruction (control all industries after economy was hit by TGD)
• Was better prepare for a more aggressive foreign policy (less reliant on the West + gov better control of industry + producing large amounts of military equipment)

Question 15

Economic dependence on Germany (impact)

Answer 15

Relied on Germany for coal imports (40% of coal imports by 1938) which shaped Italy’s alignment with Hitler

Question 16

Economic dependence on Germany

Answer 16

This led to the pact of steel (1939) + further alignment with Hitler

Question 17

Autarky (impact)

Answer 17

Mussolini thought that a strong economy was necessary to consolidate his control of Italy and as the basis for aggressive foreign policy -> pursuance of autarky

Question 18

Autarky (evidence)

Answer 18

• Thought that it was essential to acquire land which possessed requisite raw materials
• Four initiatives of battles: the battle of grain, land, Lira, births