Lesson 2a – Italian Expansionism (1930s)

Essential QuestionTo what extent was there continuity in Italian foreign policy in the 1930s?Learning Outcomes - Students will:

◦ Preview – Italian foreign policy?◦ Learn about the shift in foreign policy◦ Learn about the impact of the Spanish Civil

War on Italian foreign policy

Success CriteriaI can create my outline to answer the essential question

Leave space for 2 lessons

PreviewWhat are the messages of

these quotes by Mussolini

“My objective is simple. I want to make Italy great, respected and feared.”

“The Twentieth Century will be a century of Italian

power.”

How do you

think he

could do

this?

VocabFour Powers PactStresa FrontHoare-Laval PactRome – Berlin Axis AllianceAnti-Comintern Pact

ReadingSL & HL – Pg. 119-

140 (Move to Global War)◦ Make sure you are adding

to Notes Essential Question

◦ IB Math Notes only = max 5 Textbook only = max 5 Notes + Textbook = 6~7

3 Lessons

Mussolini and Hitler

Originally, saw Hitler as a junior ally while Mussolini had to goal of being a power in Europe ◦ June 1934 – Mussolini invited Br, Fr, and

Ger to sign the Four Powers Pact These powers came to Italy and Mussolini was

giving Europe leadership

◦ 1934 – meets Hitler in Venice calling him “a silly little monkey”

concerned with Hitler’s claim to Austria, specifically the German speaking area of Alto Adige ◦ 1934 – Leader of Austria, Dollfuss, is

assassinated by Austrian Nazis◦ July 1934 – Italy placed troops on the

Austrian-Italian border to block the Anchluss

◦ Apr. 1935 – Stresa Front – he formed an alliance with Britain and France to prevent German expansion and protect Austrian sovereignty

Abyssinia Background: 1895-6 – Italy

invades Abyssinia but, despite superior weapons, are defeated, ◦ the only European power to be

defeated by an African opponent in the colonial era

1935 – over a local disagreement over grazing rights, Mussolini sends 500,000 soldiers, with the latest weaponry (tanks, poison gas) against Ethiopians, many using spears◦ 275,000 Ethiopians killed

International reaction◦ Britain and France were not to serious

and actually proposed giving Italy 2/3 of Abyssinia, until it was leaked (Hoare-Laval Pact)

◦ League of Nations condemned Italy, declaring it the aggressor nation and imposed sanctions, but not on oil

Abyssinia - Impact

Collapse of the Stresa front◦ After the failure of (Hoare-Laval Pact, Br

and Fr imposed an oil embargo in Mar. ’36, but not implemented until May

Nationalist support for Mussolini grew Pushed Italy and Germany closer to

one another 1936 – Mussolini tells Hitler that he does not

oppose an Anchluss with Austria 1936 – agreed to join Hitler in the Spanish Civil

War

League of Nations is seen as weak◦ July – ends all sanctions against Italy

Mussolini had the first steps of his “New Roman Empire,” although it did not bring him much economic benefit◦ Continued guerilla warfare◦ Italy spent 12.5% of its budget on East

Africa◦ “Ethiopia bled Italy dry” - Clark

Spanish Civil War

Italy supplies 70,000 troops (3x more that Germans) to support the nationalists

Why?◦ Confidence – success of Abyssinia◦ Anti-communist – USSR sent troops to

help◦ Prevent France from gaining influence

over the Left◦ Support of the Catholic Church – worried

about a communist takeover in Spain Impact

◦ Moved Hitler and Mussolini closer together Oct 1936 – Rome – Berlin Axis Alliance Nov 1937 – Anti-Comintern Pact (Ger, Jap) 1938 – Italy accepts the Anschluss

◦ Italy withdraws from collective security Dec 1937 – leave the League of Nations

To what extent was there continuity in Italian foreign

policy in the 1930s?What is the question asking you?What questions must you answer?

◦ What was the foreign policy previously (1920s)?

◦ Did it stay the same in the 1930s? Be specific – To what extent means was it a complete

change or partial?

◦ Why did it change/stay the same?How can you structure your answer?

Make sure you

leave space

throughout

because

we

will add m

ore

later

Lesson 2b – Italian Expansionism (1930s)

Essential QuestionTo what extent was there continuity in Italian foreign policy in the 1930s?Learning Outcomes - Students will:

◦Preview – Hitler and Mussolini◦Learn about the shift in foreign policy◦Learn about Italy’s move to war

Success CriteriaI can create my outline to answer the essential question

Leave space for 3 lessons

PreviewWhat do you think

the relationship is between Hitler and Mussolini?◦Pre-1937 – Why?

1934 – meets Hitler in Venice calling him “a silly little monkey”

◦Post-1937 – Why does it change?

VocabMunich ConferencePact of Steel

ReadingSL & HL – Pg. 119-

140 (Move to Global War)◦ Make sure you are adding

to Notes Essential Question

◦ IB Math Notes only = max 5 Textbook only = max 5 Notes + Textbook = 6~7

3 Lessons

Changing Relationship1937 – Mussolini visits

Hitler◦ Hitler produces a grand

parade showing the military might of Germany

◦ It is apparent that the Mussolini has become the junior partner in this alliance

In an alliance with Germany, Italy would be the minor member◦ 1938 – signed a pact of

friendship with Br, but also prepared the Italian navy for war against Britain

1938 Munich Conference

Mussolini wished to be seen as the “broker of peace,” therefore reaffirming his powerful standing in Europe◦ Like Chamberlain, he is seen as a

hero of Europe by preventing war◦ Mussolini believes it as well

Britain and France would do anything to avoid war◦ Mussolini took advantage of this to

push his own foreign policy in the Balkans and Mediterranean Ex. Calls for the annexation of

Corsica, Nice and Tunis

Invasion of AlbaniaMar 1939 – Hitler invades the

rest of Czechoslovakia, without informing Mussolini◦ Britain and France do nothing

Apr. 1939 – invades Albania◦ 1934 – Albania asserted some

independence signing trade agreements with Yugoslavia and Greece

◦ 1939 – Mussolini sends an ultimatum demanding Albania to allow Italian occupation, which is refused

◦ Similar to Poland, Britain provides guarantees to Greece and Romania to aid if attacked

Key Point: Hitle

r

ignores MussoliniKey Point:

Mussolini is

consistently

playing catchup

to Hitler

Move to War

May 1939 – Pact of Steel◦ Military alliance promising Italy

would fight on Germany’s side◦ Mussolini informs Hitler that his

army is 3 years away from being ready

Aug – Nazi-Soviet Pact◦ Mussolini is not informed

Sept 1 – Hitler invades Poland◦ Mussolini does not enter since he

is not ready + the country has fought wars over the last 5 years (war weary)

June 1940 – Italy declares war◦ German success worried Mussolini

that nothing would be left for him

To what extent was there continuity in Italian foreign policy

in the 1930s?Return to your outline

◦What information can you add? Ex. Munich Conference? Ex. Invasion of Albania? Ex. Pact of Steel? Ex. Hitler-Mussolini relationship?

Lesson 2c – Italian Expansionism (1930s)

Essential QuestionTo what extent was there continuity in Italian foreign policy in the 1930s?Learning Outcomes - Students will:

◦Review – answer our essential question◦Learn about what historians say about the

topic

Success CriteriaI can apply historian’s point of views to my outline

Leave space for 3 lessons

PreviewDiscuss our essential question

◦To what extent was there continuity in Italian foreign policy in the 1930s?

What is your opinion◦Use your outline to help

VocabRenzo De FeliceAJP TaylorGerhard Schreiber

ReadingSL & HL – Pg. 119-

140 (Move to Global War)◦ Make sure you are adding

to Notes Essential Question

◦ IB Math Notes only = max 5 Textbook only = max 5 Notes + Textbook = 6~7

3 Lessons

Italian Foreign Policy

Mussolini-Hitler

AllianceHistorian

Example: Why did Italy enter

WW2?

Italian Right-Wing

British

German

Leave 3 lines for

each category

HistoriographyItalian Right-wing

◦ Italian foreign policy: before 1935, Mussolini sought France’s approval for an Italian empire in N. Africa Mussolini wished to be the

power that balanced Europe (Munich Conference)

Alliance with Hitler was not imperialist in nature

◦Historian: Renzo De Felice (Mussolini’s official biographer)

HistoriographyBritish

◦Italian foreign policy: Mussolini sought an expansionist policy, but sometimes conflicted with Hitler Ex. Mussolini thought Hitler

agreed to leave Austria independent, but this is in contrast to the Anschluss

◦Historian: AJP Taylor

HistoriographyGerman

◦ Italian foreign policy: dependent on the domestic policies within Italy Foreign Policy was just a form

of propaganda to gain domestic approval

Had no strategy joining with Hitler

More a product his own rhetoric about his goal of an Italian empire

◦Historian: Gerhard Schreiber

Italian Foreign Policy

Mussolini-Hitler

AllianceHistorian

Example: Why did Italy enter

WW2?

Italian Right-Wing

British

German

Leave 3 lines for

each category

To what extent was there continuity in Italian foreign

policy in the 1930s?Return to your outline

◦Tell me your answer to this question

◦Do any of the historians we looked have a similar point of view? Ex. Does your answer focus on the

impact of domestic factors? Which historian would agree with this?

IB Tip

0 historians

= max score

52 or m

ore =

possible full

scores