Italy’s relations with Germany 1935–1939: the Rome-Berlin Axis, Anti-Comintern Pact, Stresa Front, Pact of Steel and the failure to go to war in 1939

how did Italy and Germany become allies

their common hatred of democracy and communism was found during the Spanish civil war, Hitler refused to apply economic sanctions for Italy’s actions in Abyssinia and both countries had collaborated to ensure the success of Franco’s Nationalists in Spain, however the closer Mussolini grew to Hitler the less independence he enjoyed over his own foreign policy and the more Italian success would be linked to that of Nazi Germany

what was the Rome-Berlin axis

in November 1936 Germany and Italy signed the Rome-Berlin Axis, a public declaration of friendship between both countries, this public declaration of friendship was cemented by a secret understanding that Italy would direct its expansionist energies towards the Mediterranean while Germany looked towards Eastern Europe and the Baltic, thus they did not compete with one another

what was the Anti-Comintern pact

in 1937 Italy, Germany and Japan signed the Anti-Comintern pact which was a declaration that all three countries would work together in opposition to Soviet Russia

what was the Anschluss between Germany and Austria

1938 saw Hitler finally carry out Anschluss with Austria, without consulting Mussolini, his actions demonstrated that he was no longer Mussolini’s underling and can be viewed as the defining moment in Italian-German relations, in 1935 Mussolini had prevented Anschluss by moving his forces to the boarder with Austria and thus discouraging Hitler from Taking action, by 1938 Hitler feared no such repeat and in response, Mussolini signed an agreement with Britain guaranteeing the status quo in the Mediterranean however their reltions were soon reconciled

what was the Munich conference

the British prime minister Neville Chamberlain asked Mussolini to play the role of mediator at the conference, which had been called at Munich, to seek a diplomatic solution to Hitler’s territorial demands over the Sudetenland, Mussolini persuaded Hitler to call off a threatened invasion, while agreeing privately that he would support the Fuhrer in his territorial demands, Italian propaganda portrayed Mussolini as the saviour of Europe due to his intervention which seemed decisive

what was the pact of steel

signed in May 1939 it was a military alliance that committed both nations, Italy and Germany to join the other in war even if that other country has caused the war by an act of aggression, it was at this point that Italy lost its independence foreign policy, and any success it would enjoy would be dependant upon either the success or failure of Germany

what are the 7 reasons that Italy decided to join ww2

1- despite them declaring non-belligerence in 1939 under the terms of the pact of steel they were required to come to the assistance of Germany in the event of war

2- Mussolini had a change of heart after a series of sweeping victories by Hitler in France, the Netherlands and Belgium and the British evacuation at Dunkirk, it appeared to Mussolini that the west were on the brink of total collapse

3-Mussolini had resented their neutral position and refused to even use the erm ‘neutrality', he was a bellicose nationalist who was not prepared to sit in Rome, while the map of Europe as redrawn, especially after he had scorned the neutrality of Liberal Italy in ww1, by 1940 he saw Italy becoming a second-class nation that was going to miss out on the territorial gains available, the scale of the German successes in 1940 made these territorial gains seem like a distinct possibility and even silenced doubters

4- the allied collapse left a neutral Italy in a German-dominated Europe in a vulnerable position, Mussolini feared that a Germany angry at Italy for failing to honour its treaty obligations could well use its power against Italy with the result that the country could lose its Germany speaking valleys in the north of the country

5- Mussolini was very keen to revive a close relationship with Germany to boost his prestige, as well as maintaining the great power status that Italy had in theory more than in practice

6- in March 1940 Germany had promised to make up the shortfall in coal that would result from a British blockade of Italy by sending 12 million tons annually by rail, as much of Italy's Mediterranean trade was disrupted by the war, it became increasingly dependant on Germany and when a British naval blockade prevented German coal exports from reaching Italy this only determined Mussolini to enter the war

7- he hoped war would distract from domestic problems