Chapter 19 - Changing Balance of Power

• The rise of fascism (4)

  1. Unfulfillment of the Treaty of London 1915 in the post-war settlement caused strikes, looting, and riots in Italy

  2. 1919 - Mussolini and former soldiers formed the fascism movement

  3. 1922 - Mussolini is invited by King Emmanuel to form a government after support for fascism increased

  4. Mussolini turns Italy into a one party state
• Mussolini's foreign policy aims (4)

  1. Hoped to gain more control over Italy's spheres of influence in the Balkans + around the Mediterranean

  2. Hoped to gain land around the Adriatic promised to Italy in 1915 but not granted under 1919 treaties

  3. Hoped to use aggressive foreign policy to distract from domestic problems

  4. Hoped to respond to circumstances such as the impact of the Great Depression + the growing strength of Nazi Germany
• Italy's involvement in Libya 1922

  1. Libya had been an Italian colony since 1912, however severe and frequent revolts meant that the previous government was unable to keep the area under control

  2. Upon Mussolini's rise to power, Italians began to regain control with more aggression, however guerrilla tactics prevented full control

  3. 1928 -> Mussolini escalated involvement through concentration camps, chemical weapons, and the destruction of mosques

  4. Italy took complete control in 1932
• Signatories of the 1933 Four-power pact (4)

  1. Britain

  2. France

  3. Italy

  4. Germany
• Why did Hitler join the 1933 Four-power pact?


  Hoped to gain approval as a statesman while keeping his rearmament programme secret
• Terms of the 1933 Four-power pact (1)

  Signatories had to promise to keep the peace for 10 years
• Problems with the 1933 Four-power pact (3)

  1. Germany broke the pact with withdrawal from the World Disarmament Conference 1933 + announcing rearmament 1935

  2. Alienated the USSR

  3. Never ratified
• Terms of the Rome Agreements 1935 (1)

  Italy and France agreed to respect eachothers Europeans and colonial borders
• Why did Mussolini agree to the Stresa Front in 1935? (2)

  1. Germany's attempt to take over Austria 1934 alarmed Mussolini, as Italy shared a border with Austria + it threatened Italy's sphere of influence around the Balkans

  2. Mussolini hoped to secure the support from Britain and France in the event of German aggression threatening interests
• Terms of the Stresa Front 1935 (1)

  Italy, Britain and France had to oppose the repudiation of any treaties which may threaten European peace
• Impact of the Stresa Front 1935

  Discouraged Hitler from taking over Austria
• What were Italy's relations with Britain and France?

  Britain and France saw Mussolini as a valuable ally as his foreign policy was less dangerous than Hitler's
• Features of the Japanese government in the 1920s and 1930s (5)

  1. Ruled by a hereditary emperor who had a god-like status

  2. Two parliamentary houses

  3. Some liberal elements

  4. Emperor didn't have absolute power

  5. Army enjoyed strong influence in government policy
• Powers of the Japanese emperor in the 1920s and 1930s (4)

  1. Head of government and army

  2. Could appoint Prime Ministers

  3. Could dissolve the lower house

  4. His inner circle of advisors had considerable influence
• What evidences Japan's clear expansionist aims? (3)

  1. Japanese schoolchildren were taught that they were the superior race

  2. Racist attitudes towards the Chinese were encouraged

  3. There was a hatred towards Westernisation, particularly the USA
• Japan's economic problems


  1. Depression hit Japan hard

  2. Population growth of 1 million per year meant the government was unable to feed people

  3. Japan relied on imports due to having little resources

  4. Rice had to be imported in 1929 to prevent starvation

  5. Silk (main export) suffered collapse in prices

  6. American and European tariffs caused a 40% drop in Japanese exports, which were relied on for the balance of trade

  7. Government tried to solve problems with emigration but this failed
• Impact of Japan's economic problems (2)

  1. Expansionism became more popular

  2. Nationalists in the army hoped to colonise China, exploit their natural resources and relieve overcrowding in Japan
• How did Japan have a strong position in China? (3)

  1. The Chinese emperor had been overthrown in 1911 -> China was under the volatile control of warlords

  2. Most Japanese immigrants lived in the province of Manchuria

  3. 35% of foreign investment in China was provided by Japan e.g. the South Manchurian Railway which spread Japanese political and economic influence in the region
• Japan's international relations in the early 1930s (2)

  1. Victory in the Russo-Japanese war helped Japan to world power status, ended rivalry with Russia in the Far East, and allowed Japan to annex Korea

  2. Japan was appreciated by the west as an ally against communism
• Impact of the Washington Naval Treaties 1921-22 on Japan

  Restricted Japanese naval development to 70% of Britain and the USA's
• Impact of the London Naval Treaty 1930 on Japan


  Widened the divide between civilian and military authority in Japan, as the military believed the government hadn't achieved equality of naval agreements with the west
• Actions of Hitler 1933-34 (2)

  1. 1933 - Hitler expanded rearmament dramatically + withdrew Germany from the World Disarmament Conference

  2. 1934 - Hitler declares himself Fuhrer + makes army swear an oath of allegiance to him
• Why did Mussolini fear an aggressive Germany? (2)

  1. German expansion into Austria would threaten Italy's northeast border

  2. German expansion would threaten Italy's sphere of influence in the Balkans
• Breakdown of relations between Germany and Italy 1934 (5)

  1. Mussolini encouraged Dollfuss (anti-Nazi fascist Chancellor of Austria) to establish an authoritarian regime with Italy's help

  2. In response, Austrian Nazis murdered Dollfuss in 1934

  3. Mussolini therefore mobilised troops on the Austrian border to dissuade Germany from taking Austria by force

  5. As a result, Hitler backed down