Italy Foreign policy

Britain and France

Britain and France are the two major foreign powers of 1920s after the treaty of Versailles and the
creation of the league of nations. Italy remained a part of the league of nations to keep good relations
with the big western powers. Signing the Locarno treaties that confirmed Germany’s western borders in
1925 and entered the Kellogg-Briand pact of 1928, outlawing war.

Since unification Italy had had a great respect for Britain and politically had been modelled off of Britain.
Austen Chamberlain – British foreign secretary 1924-29 had 5 separate meetings with Mussolini, both
admired each other.

Austria

Brenner Pass created in the mountains to create easy access between Austria and Italy in South Tyrol.
Friendship treaty of 1930 with Austria, thinking further ahead in order to backstab. Austrians feared the
unification of Austria and Germany (Anschluss) so had turned to its other Neighbour, Italy. Austria
chancellor Dollfuss looking for support and visits Italy in 1933 3 times and Mussolini agrees to side with
Dollfuss. Geographically Austria is sandwiched between Italy and Germany but is of German heritage.

Peace treaty phase (friendship treaties)

- 1926 Albania
- 1927 Hungary
- 1930 Austria
- 1928 Abyssinia

Germany

Would expect a rapprochement between Germany and Italy from 1933 because they both had Fascist
states.

Key dates

1923 – Corfu incident used by Mussolini to promote Italian power and prestige

1924 – Pact of Rome, Yugoslavia ceded Fiume to Italy

1925 – Locarno treaties, Mussolini posed as a major European statesman

1926 – Treaty of friendship increased Italian influence over Albania (satellite state)

1927 – treaty of friendship with Hungary

1928 – Treaty of friendship with Abyssinia

1930 – Treaty of friendship with Austria

1933 – Hitler comes to power in Germany

1933-34 – Conflict over Austria, Dolfuss assassinated

1935 – Stresa Front

1935- Italian invasion of Abyssinia

1935- Martial Badoglio becomes military leader in Abyssinian crisis

December 1935 – Hoare-Laval pact

March 1936 – Germany occupies Rhineland

September 1936 - Spanish civil war

November 1936 - Rome-Berlin Axis

November 1937 – Anti-Comintern pact Germany Italy and Japan.

March 1938 – Anschluss

September – October 1938 – Munich crisis

April 1939 – Italian invasion of Albania

May 1939 – Pact of Steel

September 1939 – Germany's invasion of Poland

May 1940 – German invasion of France

June 1940 – Italy entered second world war on Nazi side

Key events explanation

Stresa front 1935

Relations between Italy and Germany reach a low in March 1935 as Hitler unveils the Luftwaffe and a
conscription plan that both massively breach the treaty of Versailles. League of Nations scramble and
land on meeting in the coast town of Stresa in Italy. Britain France and Italy agree to collaborate to
prevent any further breaches of Versailles that might threaten peace. Mussolini distrusted Nazi
Germany whereas the western powers feared it and this meant they were particularly anxious to avoid
Germany’s allying with other states to revise the peace settlement. Mussolini is convinced that this fear
will make t=Britain and France more sympathetic towards other Italian ambitions and ventures,
however he was sorely Mistake as in response to Abyssinia Italy was kicked out of the league and not
one year later Mussolini made the Rome-Berlin Axis with Germany that was later reinforced with the
pact of Steel in 1939.
Abyssinia crisis 1935

Italy had interest in Abyssinia since the early 1920s and had a gripe with them as of their humiliating
defeat in 1896. Italy promoted Abyssinia’s membership to the League of Nations in 1923 and had even
signed a treaty of friendship with them in 1928. By 1929 however, plans had been drawn up to annex
Abyssinia and the same year Italian soldiers began occupying neighboring territories in the hopes of
creating an accident that would give a valid excuse for war. This would happen in. December 1934 when
a small skirmish took place, killing 30 Italian soldiers. Mussolini’s initial response was to demand an
apology and a hefty compensation, but Abyssinia instead requested a League of Nations inquiry into the
incident. Mussolini had no interest in waiting for the investigation and instead issued a secret order to
totally conquest Abyssinia, moving to build his military forces in the area and amassing a large army. He
was able to leave Italy itself exposed by sending troops away because of the Stresa Front in the same
year. Additionally, Britain and France were both too occupied with France to properly deny Mussolini
this foreign campaign.

The Italians went immediately on the offensive forcing the poorly equipped Abyssinians onto the
defensive. Italy often used both Poison gas and aerial bombing in its campaign and continually
massacred the Abyssinian forces. Eventually, in May 1936 the Abyssinian emperor fled to Rome after the
capital had been taken and organized opposition to the Italian army ceased, however small guerilla
groups continued to Harass Italian troops. Mussolini then started a keen campaign of suppression
against the resistance, and he eventually succeeded in pacifying Abyssinia but at the cost of his relations
with Britain and France.

The League of Nations disapproved of Mussolini’s use of poison gas and public opinion was outraged
towards Italy. Small economic sanctions were put on Italy: no more arms were to be sold to Italy and
member nations were to ban the import of Italian goods. However, these were hardly issues for
Mussolini as no ban was but on Oil, Steel or Coal and the British owned Suez Canal was not closed to
Italian ships. Italian people were unsure, many weren’t as enthusiastic as expected and there was a very
mixed reaction due to the gas etc. used. Public opinion swung quite quickly as Abyssinia was taken in 6
months which was very quick and not many died for a campaign of its time. Good for his prestige as it
shows Italy’s power.

Italian public opinion was uncertain at the beginning of the war but as the League of Nations expressed
its condemnation, the Italy public rallied behind the regime to defend Italy’s honour. Mussolini’s
popularity soared when Abyssinia was taken in 6 months with only 1000 Italian casualties.

Hoare-Laval pact December 1935, Britain and France decided they’d rather resolve to diplomatic efforts
to resolve the conflict which irritated Mussolini and weakened his opinion of them. They handed over
the greater part of Abyssinia to Italy leaving a small unviable independent state with the emperor Haile
Selassie.

Rome-Berlin Axis 1936

January both fascist regimes began reconciling as Hitler agreed to not carry out Anschluss and in return
Mussolini would hold no objection to Hitler’s involvement in Austrian politics.
Munich crisis

Germany demands the Sudeten lands from Czechoslovakia which seemed likely to start a general
European war. Mussolini mediates a conference to seek a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Mussolini
was not fair as mediator though and colluded with Hitler to Favour Nazi claims. The Sudetenlands were
handed over to Germany.

War starts in Poland when Germany invades in 1939

Italy doesn’t join, technically breaking the Pact of Steel

- Not prepared for war on a European scale yet

- Poland is out of Italy’s sphere of influence- Balkans
- Italy starts the war in Africa, starting the Parallel war
- Hopes of building a Mare Nostrum in the mediterranean
- Italy has no strategy or plan