Italian Expansion (Mussolini 2) Flashcards
(8 cards)
Who controlled Italian foregin policy in the 1930s?
Mussolini wanted to control it. In 1929, he appointed Dino Grandi as foregin minister, and he favoured a strong foregin policy.
Wanted to demonstrate Italian strenght rather than Anglophile policies. Ready the armed forces for a war. Grandi did not want Italy to believe in the LN.
Mussolini was still in charge of the policy and moved Grandi to be ambassador in Britain.
1936 - Mussolini’s son in law - Count Galeazzo Ciano took over. He supported closer links with Germany. However, he became disillusiond with Hitler and argued against the Pact of Steel.
Advised Mussolini to create a buffer zone in the Balkans against GE. Supported the invasion of Albania. Ciano lost favour of Mussolini when GE began to sweep across Europe with sucess.
What was the foregin policy made up of?
Glorification of war as a purifying force.
Imperial and colonial expansion. New Roman Empire and the Mediterranean Mare Nostro.
Anti-French in Mediterranean and African territories.
Closer ties to Nazi Germany.
What was the purpose of the meeting in Rome 1933?
Demonstrating Italy’s central role in European diplomacy and develop an alternative to the League of Nations for EU diplomacy.
What was the Four Power Pact?
Also known as Quadripartite Pact, signed in 1933 July 15th. An alternative LN founded by Mussolini and signed by Britain, Germany, France and Italy.
It said that smaller nations should have less say in Great Power relations, unlike they did in the LN. French never ratified (confirmed) it.
In reality, the Pact was dissmied by the other powers and had little meaning. In Italy, it was seen as a great sucess for Italy.
What happened when Nazi GE tried to unifiy with Austria 1934?
Mussolini strongly opposed an Anschluss. When Nazis murdered the Austrian Chancellor Dolfuss, a personal friend of Mussolini’s, he immediately mobilised his troops and prevented an invasion.
What led to the Stresa Conference 1935?
Hitler’s rearmament became alarming to the rest of Europe, and the only way to keep the Status Quo was through Italy.
Italy, Britain and France met in the Italian town of Stresa. Aimed to reaffirm the Lorcarno Treaties and the independence of Austria. Also wanted to reinforce the Versailles Treaty and stop Hitler from breaking the laws.
However it was very vague and did not even specify the name Germany. Britain was more concerned to not offend Hitler. Italy was altough happy to have gained consent from GB and FR to invade Abyssinia (or so was his impression).
Britain broke the Stresa agreements by signing a Naval treaty with Germany, only two months later. Anglo-German Naval agreement.
Why did Italy invade Abyssinia?
To avenge humiliating defeat after 1896.
Divert attention from domestic problems.
Conquer Spazio Vitale. Exploit natural resources such as oil.
Impress GE.
To become a Great Imperial Power like France or Britain. The Roman Empire also had a lot of African territory.
Easy victory, since it was not modernsied.
Aftermath of Abyssinia invasion
