Mussolini's Foreign Policy: 1936-1940

Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

Conflict between Republicans and Nationalists in Spain.

Balearic Islands

Islands Mussolini aimed to acquire through intervention.

Popular Front

Coalition of liberals, socialists, and communists in Spain.

Franco's Nationalists

Spanish forces supported by military and conservatives.

70 000

Mussolini sent this many troops to support Nationalists in Spanish Civil War.

Economic cost of intervention in Spanish Civil War for Italy.

14 billion lire spent, Lire devalued, loss of half of Italy's foreign currency reserves.

one third

This fraction of Italy's arms stocks was consumed by her involvement in the Spanish Civil War.

International Brigades

Soldiers organized by the Communist International to support the Popular Front.

Battle of Guadalajara

Italian forces defeated by International Brigades at this battle - an embarrassment for Italy.

Rome Berlin Axis

Alliance formed between Italy and Germany in 1936.

Anti-Comintern Pact

The 1937 agreement against the Communist International that included Italy, Germany, and Japan.

Anschluss

Annexation of Austria by Germany in 1938.

Munich Conference

September 1938 meeting to address Sudetenland crisis.

Sudetenland

Region of Czechoslovakia demanded by Hitler containing 3 million Germans.

Chamberlain's Agreement

Pact signaling Britain and Germany's non-aggression.

'Peace in our time'

Chamberlain's declaration after Munich Conference.

Anschluss (Germany joining with Austria in 1938)

Mussolini opted not to oppose this move by Germany in 1938 - an unpopular decision amongst Italians.

Invasion of Czechoslovakia

Hitler violated the Munich Agreement in March 1939 with this action.

Spanish Civil War

Italian intervention in this conflict was unpopular domestically.

Italian military weaknesses

Exposed during Spanish Civil War.

Corsica, Nice, Tunis

Territories demanded by Italy after Munich Conference.

Axis Powers

Alliance of Germany, Italy, and Japan during WWII.

Italian invasion of Albania

April 1939 invasion to control Adriatic Sea, intimidate Yugoslavia and threaten Britain's stronghold on the Mediterranean.

King Zog

Albanian king who fled to Greece.

Albanian Parliament

This body voted to unite with Italy in 'personal union' on April 12.

Shefqet Verlacci

Leader of the Fascist government in Albania.

Condemnation

Britain and France's response to Italian invasion of Albania.

a turning point

The Italian invasion of Albania signaled this for Britain and France, who stopped appeasing Mussolini.

Pact of Steel

May 1939 alliance declaration between Italy and Germany.

Secret Protocol of the Pact of Steel

Encouraged military and economic policy union of Germany and Italy.

Nazi-Soviet Pact

August 1939 agreement between Hitler and Stalin.

League of Nations

Albania formally withdraws from this institution on April 15, 1939.

Chamberlain

Complained that Mussolini had 'behaved like a snake and a cad' when he invaded Albania.

Count Ciano

Italy's Foreign Minister.

German

Public sentiment in Italy was largely anti-__.

Guaranteed Greek and Romanian borders

Mussolini was surprised by this action of Britain and France following the Italian invasion of Albania.

1943

Due to involvement in smaller conflicts (such as the Spanish Civil War), Italy would not be ready for a major war until this year.

Blockade of German ports

This action by Britain from March 1940 restricted German coal shipments to Italy in return for Italian food, and contributed to the economic reasons Italy joined the war in June 1940.

AJP Taylor

Historian who viewed Mussolini as incompetent and generally without clear aims.

Gerhard Schreiber

German historian who claims Mussolini's foreign policy aimed to win domestic support, and that expansion would be useful for propaganda purposes.

empire

Schreiber indicates that Mussolini had to enter the war in June 1940 as he had promised the Italian people an __.

Taranto

Location where British sunk half of Italian fleet (Nov 1940).

Alatri

Historian critical of De Felice's view on Mussolini.

Renzo De Felice

Historian who argues that Mussolini did not have large-scale expansionist plans but rather that he wanted to win French support for Italy becoming a Great Power with more territory in North Africa.

Hitler

De Felice argues that Mussolini was not committed to supporting until June 1940, and that prior to this, Mussolini hoped to win concessions from other Great Powers.

June 1940

When Italy officially entered World War II.