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Mussolini Foreign Policy - Coggle Diagram
Mussolini Foreign Policy
Characteristics
- expansionist and distract from internal issues or shortcoming
- erratic, reactionary and seemingly without an overarching master plan
- tension between being a 'Statesman' (pragmatic and co-operatice on the international stage) and a 'Strongman' (strong, uncompromising and fearless taking agressive stances that put him at odds with the international community)
Fiume
- City in Yugoslavia, ethnically Italian and was a territory promised to Italy in 1915 if they joined WW1
- 1923, Italy forced Yugoslavian gov. to hand over Fiume and was a major succes for Mussolini's foreign policy
Mussolini and Hitler
- Similar ideologies which pushed them closer after both we're internationally isolated
- 1936, Rome-Berlin axis, formalised their relationship
- 1936 onwards, Hitler was the dominant figure of the relationship using Mussolini for his own ends (1938 Munich Agreement organised by Mussolini)
- 1939, Pact of Steel, military alliance between Italy and Germany, meant to give reassurance to Mussolini that Hitler would not go to war for at least 3 years
- 1943, during WW2 Mussolini is deposed after Allied invasion of Sicily, Hitler rescues him and puts him in charge effectively as a puppet in northern Italy
- April 1945, Mussolini is executed by partisans
Corfu Incident
- August 1923, 4 Italians killed on Greek Territory due to a territorial dispute between Greece and Albania
- ultimatum presented to Greece demanding an apology and compensation
- Italian military invades Corfu, and League of Nations intervene and force Italy to withdraw from Corfu
Albania
- During 1920's, Mussolini sought to expand Italy's influence over Albania
- By 1926, Albania was a puppet state and in 1939 Italy invades and King Zog of Albania abdicates
Statesman
- Italy was an active member of the League of Nations
- Locarno Conference 1925 (allowed Germany to re-engage in European affairs)
- Stresa Front 1935 (a diplomatic coalition with Italy, Britain and France to place sanctions on Germany and prevent them from rearmament)
Invasion of Abyssinia
- Mussolini ordered invasion of Abysinnia in 1935 to wipe the embarrasment of Italy's loss to Abysinnia in 1896
- Mussolini hoped this would attract more support in Italy and proved an easy victory for the modern military of Italy
- This isolated Mussolini on the international stage after Italy left the League of Nations in 1937 and pushed him closer to Hitler