Italian Expansion 1930-1940
Page 1: Introduction to Italian Expansion 1930-1940
Learning Target: Evaluate sources relevant to the chapter on Italian Expansion.
Success Criteria: Collaborate with a partner to complete all Source skills Type 1 and Type 2 questions.
Page 2: Aims of Mussolini's Foreign Policy
Acquire Territory
Focus on regions rich in resources (iron ore, oil).
Aim to settle increasing population through new lands.
Increase Military Power
Strengthen Italy's military capabilities.
Expand the Empire
Key goal to take Abyssinia (Ethiopia).
Autarky
Restore national pride after defeat in Adowa (1886).
Pursue a self-sufficient Italy, free from reliance on foreign imports.
Page 3: The Corfu Incident - 1923
Event: Four Italians assassinated at Greece/Albanian border by Greeks (August 1923).
Mussolini's Demand: 50 million lire and an official apology from Greece; Greece refused.
Response: Mussolini invaded Corfu, leading to Greek appeal to the League of Nations (LoN).
Outcome: Under British pressure, Italy withdrew, Greece compensated with no apology.
Page 4: Italian Territorial Claims and Annexation
Maps and Context: Depict territorial claims and annexations post WWI, including regions like Fiume, Istria, and parts of Austria.
Page 5: The Annexation of Fiume - 1924
Background: Fiume had an Italian majority but was assigned to Yugoslavia post WWI.
Events Leading to Annexation:
Nationalist D’Annunzio occupied the city in 1922.
After the Corfu Incident, Mussolini invaded Fiume.
Treaty of Rome (January 1924) led to official annexation by Italy.
International Reaction: France displeased due to alliance with Yugoslavia (Little Entente).
Page 8: The Locarno Pact - 1925
Purpose: Improve relations with Britain and France post-Corfu and Fiume incidents.
Details: The Locarno Treaties involved Germany, France, Belgium, UK, and Italy agreeing to guarantee German western borders.
Significance: Marks the 'spirit of Locarno' era of improved European relations; Germany joins the LoN (1926) and Mussolini signs Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) to ban war.
Page 9: Increasing Influence in Albania - 1926
Intervention: Mussolini intervenes in the Albanian Civil War and establishes a protectorate over Albania.
Consequence: Actions push Little Entente powers closer in anxiety towards Italy's ambitions.
Page 10: The Impact of the Great Depression – 1930s
Economic Context: Great Depression leads countries to prioritize unilateral actions over cooperation.
In Italy: Significant drop in international trade and loans, spike in unemployment; a shift to aggressive foreign policy focused on empire as a means to achieve autarky.
Page 11: The Four-Power Pact - 1933
Proposal: Mussolini proposes treaty among Italy, Germany, France, and Britain to limit German power.
Details: The agreement aimed to enhance relations while isolating Germany; undermined LoN confidence.
Consequences: Postproposal, Germany withdrew from LoN and disarmament talks.
Page 12: The Dollfuss Affair - 1934
Context: Austria's Chancellor Dollfuss murdered by Nazi supporters.
Mussolini's Response: Mobilizes troops to the Austrian border due to fears of Anschluss threatening South Tyrol.
Outcome: Nazi Germany backs down due to Mussolini's stance.
Page 13: The Stresa Front - 1935
Events: Hitler announces conscription and rearmament, prompting Mussolini to act to isolate him.
Meeting in Stresa: April 1935 meeting with French and British leaders to curb Hitler's plans.
Page 14: The Breakdown of the Stresa Front
Reaffirmation: The Locarno Pact was reaffirmed, aimed at containing Nazi Germany.
Diverging Aims: Discussed weaknesses of Britain’s reluctance to confront Germany.
Mussolini’s Misbelief: Understood the front as tacit approval to invade Abyssinia.
Page 15: Breakdown Consequences
Failure of Coordination: Breakdown leads to British signing of Anglo-German Naval Agreement in June 1935.
Reactions: Seen as betrayal by Italy and France; Mussolini invades Abyssinia (October 1935), and allows Hitler’s expansionism.
Page 16: Italian Invasion of Abyssinia: Justifications
Historical Reasons: Seeking to build an empire akin to the Roman Empire, national competition, political distraction, and economic ambitions.
Page 17: The Abyssinia Invasion – Events
Initial Clash: Conflict at Wal Wal oasis leads to Italy’s invasion in October after League of Nations involvement found both sides equally culpable.
Page 18: Hoare and Laval Pact
Proposed Agreement: British and French foreign ministers suggest ceding half of Abyssinia to Mussolini but face backlash after press leaks.
Page 19: Outcome of the Invasion
Victory: Addis Ababa falls on May 5, 1936; Abyssinia is annexed.
Nationalism: Surge of Italian nationalism in support of Mussolini after the victory.
Page 20: Results of the Abyssinia Conflict
Peak of Success: Marked high point in Italian foreign policy despite economic cost (deficit, failing trade).
Legacy: Atrocities committed damage Italian reputation, exposing failures of collective security by the League of Nations.
Page 21: The Spanish Civil War
Conflict Background: Fight between Republican leftists and Nationalist rightists led by Franco.
Italian Involvement: Support for General Franco aligned with fascism and aimed to secure Mediterranean naval bases.
Page 22: Effect of Spanish Civil War on Italy
Public Perception: War was unpopular; economically and militarily expensive, straining Franco-Italian relations.
Shift Towards Germany: Drawn closer to Germany due to shared interests.
Page 23: Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany Relations
Key Agreements: Rome-Berlin Axis (October 1936), Anti-Comintern Pact (November 1937) solidified shared aims against communism.
Anschluss Approval: Mussolini supports German annexation of Austria, shifting stance on previous opposition.
Page 24: Sudetenland Crisis - Czechoslovakia
Crisis Background: Hitler claims Sudetenland with German residents facing persecution.
Mussolini's Role: Acts as peacemaker, ultimately supports German annexation ensuring compliance with plans.
Page 25: Mussolini’s Ambitions in Albania
Context: After Hitler’s seizure of Czechoslovakia, Mussolini seeks to emulate success with ambitions in the Balkans.
Invasion of Albania: Occurred on April 7, 1939, despite Albania being a protectorate since 1926.
Page 26: Invasion Outcome
King Zog’s Response: King Zog fled to Greece after Italian invasion.
Aftermath: King Victor Emmanuel decreed King of Albania.
Page 27: Path to World War II
Pact of Steel: Signed in May 1939, aligning military and economic policies with Germany.
Mussolini's Stance: Initially “non-belligerent”; prepares for involvement following German successes against France.
Page 28: Motivations for WWII Entry
Political Imperative: Fascism requires Italy's involvement to assert power; anticipated territorial gains if victorious.
Discuss two examples of Italian Expansion and how these examples aligned with Mussolini's foreign policy aims.
Two prominent examples of Italian expansion under Mussolini are the annexation of Fiume in 1924 and the invasion of Abyssinia in 1935. The annexation of Fiume was driven by nationalistic sentiments, as Fiume had an Italian majority but was assigned to Yugoslavia after World War I. This incident aimed to assert Italy's territorial claims and restore national pride, aligning with Mussolini's goal of expanding the empire. The invasion of Abyssinia, on the other hand, served multiple purposes including seeking revenge for the Adowa defeat and aiming for autarky by acquiring resources. This military aggression reflected Mussolini's desire to strengthen Italy's military power and secure an empire, demonstrating a direct alignment with his foreign policy ambitions for national prestige and self-sufficiency.