Essential Question:

To what extent was there

change and continuity in

Fascist Italy’s foreign policy?

Italy becomes a unified state in

1861

� Since the fall of the Roman Empire, Italian

cities had existed as independent city-states

�Often competed with and went to war

with each other.

� Regional identities were very strong (and

remain strong today)

We need to focus on two major

things:

1. Italy's experience in WWI and with the Paris Peace Treaties

process.

1. There are strong links to be made about the terms of peace

in 1919 sowing the seeds of future conflict (WWII) due to

Italian and German feelings of resentment and betrayal.

2. The doctrine of Fascism.

1. What is it? Can it be defined?

2. How did Mussolini achieve power in Italy and how did

Fascism influence its foreign policy?

Fascism

� From when Mussolini came to power until

1925, it was "more a political action party

seeking an ideology“

� Ex. Communism- Ideology is already created,

therefore forced to follow its ideas, as

opposed to creating their own. Fascism

reacted to the political situation of the time

and often Fascist policies changed.

What is Fascism?

�Anti-democratic — do not respect democratic institutions,

such as Parliament, other political parties, etc

�Anti-communist - 1921 — squadre d'azione killed 100

socialists

�Militant/Use of violence -squadre d'azione,

Blackshirts

�Nationalistic/Pride in the state

�Authoritarian leadership

� State control benefiting businesses — Corporate State

Mussolini’s Foreign Policy Goal:

To make Italy “great, respected, and

feared

Foreign Policy

� Corfu Incident (Aug '23) — an Italian general is murdered in Greece

�Mussolini demanded an apology and 50 million from the Greek gov't,

who refused as they were not responsible

�In response, Mussolini invaded the Greek island of Corfu

� Greece paid the fine making Mussolini and national hero and easily

winning the election

� Eventually forced to leave the island when Britain sent its navy to the

area

� Why did Mussolini not stand up to Britain as he did Greece?

� Significance

� Shows Mussolini can bully small countries, but not "great" powers

� Foreign Policy success helped Mussolini win the 1924 elections

Foreign Policy actions

� Diplomacy

� Can't push around the "great" powers

�Keep Britain and France on his side

�Remained in the League of Nations

�1925 - Locarno Treaty -European powers, including Italy, recognize the current borders of Europe

�1926-came to an agreement with Britain over the border with Libya and Egypt

Foreign Policy actions

� Aggression/Seeking Allies

� Can push around smaller countries

� 1924 - Pact of Rome - Yugoslavia accepts

Italian occupation of Fiume

�Gave aid (money, Italian companies

invested and Italian officers advised the military) to an Albanian chieftain

Zog against Yugoslavia

� 1926 - Pact of Friendship - Albania is pretty much a satellite state of Italy

� Gave secret support to extreme nationalists groups in Europe

� Ex. 1927 - Treaty of Friendship - Italy would secretly sell weapons to

Hungary