AS HISTORY REVISION - AGE OF EXTREMISM - 3.1 MUSSOLINI AND HIS FOREIGN POLICY

AS History Revision - Age of extremism - Mussolini and his foreign policy.

1. CAMBRIDGE AS HISTORY REVISION AGE OF EXTREMISM 3.1 MUSSOLINI FOREIGN POLICY

2. AIMS To restore Italian pride: Italy’s resentment of Paris peace settlement. To make Italy ‘great, respected and feared’: ultra-nationalism; Mare Nostrum .

3. EARLY AGGRESSION Fiume 1923: ‘free city’ used jointly by Italy and Yugoslavia; Italy takes control. Corfu 1923: border dispute between Greece and Albania; Italy’s involvement; compensation from Greece.

4. DIPLOMATIC APPROACH 1923 1924 Reasons for his cautious approach: fear of isolation as Europe’s only fascist country; could not challenge Britain’s naval supremacy; determination to ensure Italy’s security. Locarno Treaties 1925: developed effective relations with Britain, France, Germany and Belgium ; played a key role in securing agreements. Secured Italy’s strategic position in Adriatic Sea: developed good relations with Greece, Hungary and Albania. USSR : developed good relations with USSR. Austria 1933: sent troops to border to prevent Nazi takeover of Austria.

5. AGGRESSIVE APPROACH AFTER 1934 Invasion of Abyssinia 1935: need for a propaganda boost; earlier Italian attempt to take Abyssinia (1896) had failed; argued that imperial expansion would provide Italy with raw materials and market; weak reaction of League of Nations. Spanish Civil War: provided military assistance to Franco. Rome–Berlin Axis 1936: Mussolini’s changed policy towards Hitler. Anti- Comintern Pact 1937: with Germany and Japan. Invasion of Albania 1939: propaganda exercise, as Italy effectively controlled Albania anyway . Pact of Steel 1939: Germany and Italy agreed mutual support in event of war.