M4- Italy's international standing by 1935

Question 1

what were Mussolini’s foreign policy aims?

Answer 1

achieve ‘Great Power’ status for Italy

promote fascism and Italian prestige abroad

establish Italian dominance in the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the Balkans

expand colonisation in Africa

Question 2

how did Mussolini conduct foreign policy?

Answer 2

ALL BY HIMSELF

he avoided the Foreign Office by making himself Minister of Foreign Affairs

he had total control over Italian foreign policy

Question 3

who were the main ‘Great Powers’ in Europe?

Answer 3

Britain and France

both had immense influence in Europe after the collapse of A-H and Germany

Question 4

how was France’s position to Italy a growing threat?

Answer 4

they were exerting more influence in the Balkans, a region Mussolini hoped to take control over

their colonial ambitions in North Africa also threatened Italian Libya and Italian hopes of colonial expansion

Question 5

how was Britain’s position to Italy a growing threat?

Answer 5

Britain had complete control over the Med —> Mussolini wanting to retake control of Italy’s waters

Britain also had a major colonial presence in Africa (Suez —> Egypt)

Question 6

how did Mussolini hope to deal with the larger powers?

Answer 6

through diplomacy and peace

Question 7

how did Mussolini hope to deal with the smaller powers?

Answer 7

through aggression and war

Question 8

when was the Italian invasion of Corfu?

Answer 8

31 August 1923

Question 9

what caused the Italian invasion of Corfu?

Answer 9

the assassination of an Italian general in Greece

Question 10

which Italian general was assassinated in Greece?

Answer 10

Enrico Tellini

Question 11

what demands did Mussolini make to the government of Greece?

Answer 11

attend Tellini’s funeral
honour the Italian flag in Athens
pay penalty of 50 million lire

Question 12

what happened during the invasion?

Answer 12

Italian navy bombarded the island of Corfu and troops occupied the island

Question 13

when was Mussolini forced to leave Corfu?

Answer 13

27 September 1923

Question 14

who forced Mussolini to pull out from Corfu?

Answer 14

the League of Nations
with British backing

Question 15

successes of Corfu invasion

Answer 15

MAJOR DOMESTIC SUCCESS

Italy received 50 million lire from Greece

major domestic success with the support of the nationalists increasing as a result

it was a major contrast to the liberal state who had little success in foreign policy

Question 16

failures of Corfu invasion

Answer 16

Italy’s position as a subordinate to Britain and France was confirmed

showed the limited ability of the Italian Navy compared the the British Med fleet

received condemnation from the LoN

Question 17

which pact was Fiume ceded to Italy?

Answer 17

Treaty of Rome
with Yugoslavia

Question 18

when was the Treaty of Rome?

Answer 18

January 1924

Question 19

successes of Treaty of Rome

Answer 19

MAJOR DOMESTIC SUCCESS

again nationalists (particularly those who were major d’Annunzio supporters were hugely impressed) increased their support for Fascism

again showed the weakness of the Liberals who failed to take Fiume themselves

did show Yugoslavian weakness

Question 20

was the Treaty of Rome really a success?

Answer 20

not really cos the significance of Fiume had fallen since 1920

Yugoslavia had their new port, Split, which was more strategic than Fiume for Yugoslavia

Question 21

when were the Locarno Treaty signed?

Answer 21

1925

Question 22

how was Italy involved in the Locarno Treaty?

Answer 22

they were invited
which was a major deal for the Italian people

Question 23

successes of Italian involvement at Locarno

Answer 23

DOMESTIC SUCCESS

showed that Italy was being taken seriously when it came to the reorganisation of Europe

propaganda was used to show Mussolini as a powerful leader who had major influence over Europe

Question 24

failures of Italian involvement at Locarno

Answer 24

Mussolini attended one session
didn’t even read the final draft

Italian interests with their borders with A-H were not even acknowledged

again showed Italian subordination in comparison to the powers of Britain and France

Question 25

who became the new President of Albania in 1925?

Answer 25

Italian backed Ahmet Zog

Question 26

why did Mussolini see Italian influence in Albania as important?

Answer 26

it shared a northern border with Yugoslavia meant that Yugoslavia would effectively be surrounded from both sides would allow him to increase pressure

Question 27

how did Mussolini increase influence in Albania?

Answer 27

supplied Zog with money encouraged Italian companies to invest in Albania employed Italian officers as advisors to the Albanian military

Question 28

when was the Treaty of Friendship signed?

Answer 28

1926 Albania was now an Italian satellite state

Question 29

successes of growing Italian influence over Albania

Answer 29

increased pressure on Yugoslavia increased Italian influence in the Balkans

Question 30

who did Mussolini fund in an attempt to destabilise Yugoslavia?

Answer 30

Croation terrorists given training in Italy assassinated the King of Yugoslavia in 1934

Question 31

in what ways did Mussolini expand his African colonies?

Answer 31

less about expansion more about consolidation: Libyan rebels were trying to overthrow the Italian regime Mussolini decided to put it down through the Pacification of Libya

Question 32

who did Mussolini send to Italy to pacify Libya?

Answer 32

Pietro Badoglio

Question 33

what did Badoglio use to pacify the Libyans?

Answer 33

starvation mass executions poison gas concentration camps

Question 34

when did the Pacification of Libya end?

Answer 34

1932

Question 35

concl on Mussolini's foreign policy before 1934?

Answer 35

MAJOR DOMESTIC SUCCESS - had won support from the nationalists (pretty much most of Italy) - showed the weakness of the Liberals and the strength of Fascism - increased influence in the Balkans with Albania LITTLE INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS - little ground made with increasing power in the Med - was checked by the naval power of Britain at Corfu - was still not a 'Great Power' and was a clear subordinate to Britain and France

Question 36

in what ways were Anglo-Italian relations cordial?

Answer 36

Britain fought with Italy in WW1 Mussolini was close with Churchill and A.Chamberlain Britain helped Italian ambitions in Albania while Italy put pressure on Turkey to cede Mosul to Britain

Question 37

why did Mussolini see Britain as a future enemy?

Answer 37

THE MED Mussolini was obsessed with ending British dominance in the Med extremely evident in Corfu incident which was ended by the presence of the RN

Question 38

what policies did Mussolini adopt to deal with the British threat?

Answer 38

increase naval armament in the hope of defeating the RN in the future funding nationalists in Malta to fight against British rule

Question 39

in what ways was Italy dependent on Britain?

Answer 39

in order for the Battle for Lira to be a success, Italy had to rely on Britain for financial support Italy was thus reliant on British and US markets therefore a war would make the Italian economic situation very difficult

Question 40

concl on Anglo-Italian relations

Answer 40

WAS LARGELY CORDIAL - both helped each-other out with Albania and Mosul - both had good political relations BUT TENSE (future conflict was likely) - British control over the Med was a major issue for Mussolini who wanted Italian control HOWEVER the Italians relied heavily on the British and so an early war would be disastrous

Question 41

what were the main reasons for tense Franco-Italian relations?

Answer 41

anti-Fascists in France French colonial ambitions in Africa

Question 42

anti-Fascists in France

Answer 42

many anti-Fascists who were exiled from Italy settled in France Mussolini ordered OVRA operations in France which angered the French (ROSSELLI BROS)

Question 43

French colonial ambitions in Africa

Answer 43

there was a growing Italian presence in Tunisia which the French were worried may be used in an Italian attempt to take control over French Tunisia

Question 44

concl on Franco-Italian relations

Answer 44

similar to British French control over Africa and Med both clashed with Italian ambitions but Italy did respect France as a great power and was prepared to work with them

Question 45

what was Mussolini's relationship with the Weimar Republic?

Answer 45

saw them as socialists and pacifists

Question 46

how was Mussolini involved in the growing right-wing extremism in Germany?

Answer 46

he funded right-wing groups who opposed the Weimar Republic

Question 47

what was Mussolini's main concern with Germany?

Answer 47

the potential of Anschluss with Austria

Question 48

why was an independent Austria important for Italy?

Answer 48

would provide a crucial buffer between Italy and Germany

Question 49

who was the Chancellor of Austria?

Answer 49

Dolfuss

Question 50

when was Dolfuss assassinated?

Answer 50

July 1934 by Nazi sympathisers

Question 51

what was Mussolini's reaction to Dolfuss' assassination?

Answer 51

he sent 40,000 troops to the Brenner pass put off a Nazi invasion of Austria

Question 52

successes of the failed Anschluss of 1934

Answer 52

BOTH DOMESTIC AND INTL PRESTIGE showed Italian superiority to Germany Mussolini had used the military to prevent Anschluss showed Mussolini as a powerful leader Hitler was his subordinate STOPPED THE NAZIS

Question 53

concl on German-Italian relation?

Answer 53

started off poorly failed Anschluss was because Mussolini sent troops to stop invasion HOWEVER - Hitler intended to building good relations with Italy - at the time Hitler was not preparing his aggressive foreign policy

Question 54

when was the Stresa Front set up?

Answer 54

1935

Question 55

what was the Stresa Front in response to?

Answer 55

German declaration of rearmament in March 1935