Mussolini's Foreign Policy

Mussolini wanted to make Italy, 'great, respected and feared.'...

First he had an adventurous foregin policy with the Corfu incident (1923) and the occupation of Fiume (1920)

His foreign policy was in two distinct stages

• 1923-34
• after 1934

1923-34

• Tried to be as diplomatic as possible
• Rivalry with France and Ally Yugoslavia
• He attended the Locarno Conference (1925)
  • Dissapointed, but became international gauranteur anyway, along with Britain
• He was friendly with Greece, Hungary and Albania
  • Albania was virtually controlled by Italy
• He cultivated good relationswith Britain
  • Supported Britain and so got a small part of Somaliland
• Recognised USSR
  • non-agressuion pact with USSR (Sept 1933)
• Bolstered Austria against the threat of Nazi Germany
  • Supported Dolfuss (anti-Nazi)
  • Sent three Italien divisions to frontier to prevent Nazi takeover of country when Dolfuss was assasinated.

Mussolini was now highly respected abroad - he was not happy though - his successes weren't big enough.

After 1934

• Less suspicious of Hitler - now starting to admire his achievements - wanted to imitate him
• In their first meeting (June 1934) Mussolini called HItler 'that mad little clown'
• Later he believed there was more to gain from friendship between himself and Hitler than with Britain and France.
• When Hitler introduced conscription - Italy along with France and Britain condemned the action. Britain and France avoided talk of the current situation in Abyssinia. Mussolini took this as though Britain and France would turn a blind eye

The Invasion of Abyssinia

turning point

• Mussolini's motive for the attack
• Italy's existing colonies were not very rewarding
• Italy was suffering from the depression - this victory would divert peoples attention and provide a new market for Italian goods.
• Would please nationalists and colonialists, since defeat in 1896.
• Would therefore increase his poularity

It illustrated the ineffectiveness of collective security

• The League of Nations condemned Italian agression
• Applied economic sanctons (not including oil, steel and coal)
• Secret treaty of Hoare-Laval to give 2/3 of Abyssinia to Italy. It failed to outrage of public when the plan leaked.

Reasons for weak stand against Italy

• Britain and France were unprepared for war - didn't want to provoke Italy,
• Hoping to revive the Stressa front
• Wanted Italy as an ally against the real threat to peace, Germany

The results - were disastrous

• The League of Nations and the idea of collective security were discredited
• Mussolini was annoyed by the sanctions anyway, and began to be drawn towards Hitler
• Mussolini dropped his objection ot Hitlers invasion of Austria
• Hitler took advantage of everyones preocupation with Abyssinia to invade the Rhineland
• When the Spanish civil war broke out (1936) Mussolini supporte d Franco, the Facist leader to try and set up a third Facist state in Europe. His excuse was that he was preventing the spread of communism.
• Signed the Rome-Berlin Axis (1936)
• Signed the Anti Commintern pact (1937)
• His popularity revived due to the Munich agreement (September 1938)
• (April 1939) Italian troops occupied Albania. Wanted to mimic Hitlers invasion of Czechoslovakia
• Pact of Steel (May 1939)

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