Question 3

What was the Italian attitude to German expansion in 1930s?

Paragraph One

• Mussolini Fascist dictator of Italy didn’t want a strong Germany on his border
• Austria – treaty of Versailles forbad union of Austria with Germany
• July 1934 Chancellor Dollfuss of Austria murdered by Austrian Nazis (wanted union with Germany) – asked Hitler for help
• Schuschnigg new chancellor asked Mussolini for help
• Mussolini sent troops to Brenner Pass so Hitler backed down (not strong enough yet)

Paragraph Two: Stresa Front

• Mussolini had meeting with Great Britain and France
• Signed agreement (Stresa Front) to prevent any attempt to tamper with Versailles Treaty – clearly aimed at Hitler
• No need for this – covered by League of Nations

Paragraph Three: Abyssinia/Spain

• 1935-6 Italy conquered Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
• Great Britain and France against it
• Their attitude weakened Stresa Front
• Mussolini drawn into alliance with Hitler (Rome-Berlin Axis 1936)
• Cooperated in Spanish Civil War 1936-9
• 1937 Italy left League because it imposed sanctions over Abyssinia
• 1937 joined Germany and Japan in Anti-Comintern Pact

Paragraph Four: Anschluss

• Union of Austria and Germany (until 1945)
• This time Hitler didn’t face Italian opposition – Germany too strong and they were now allies

Paragraph Five: Munich Crisis

• Sudetenland German speaking part of Czech
• Hitler threatened war if he didn’t get it
• Great Britain and France asked Mussolini to mediate
• He pretended to produce a plan – in fact it was given to him by the German foreign office
• Germany got Sudetenland and Czechs got no help from Great Britain and France even though USSR willing to act if France did

Paragraph Six: Pact of Steel

• March 1939 Germany took over ‘Rump’ of Czech
• Mussolini supported it
• Hitler and Mussolini signed Pact of Steel next – military alliance
• Italy now tied to fortunes of Germany

Paragraph Seven: Poland

• Mussolini warned Hitler that war against Poland would become a European war and Italy wasn’t ready – even so Italy would support Germany
• Italy did not join in invasion of Poland
• Mussolini waited until he was sure Germany would win
• So Italy invaded France in 1940 just before France surrendered
• Entry into war proved disastrous – Italy surrendered 1943 when Great Britain, USA etc. invaded mainland Italy – Mussolini deposed