Chapter 19 -Changing balance of power

• The Ambitions of Italy:

  Had joined the war in 1915 on the allied side.

  They wanted to become a great power like Britain and France.

  Battle of Caparetto in 1917 - heavily defeated.
• Rise of fascism in Italy:

  The armistice of 1918 labelled by Mussolini as ‘a mutilated victory’ as the promises of the treaty of London 1915 were unfulfilled.

  1919 Mussolini and other soldiers form the Fasci di Combattimento (fascism).

  By October 1922 the fascists organised a march on Rome. 

  
  

  King Victor Emmanuel wanted to avoid conflict and invited him into power by making him Prime Minister. 

  Mussolini transformed Italy into a one-party state. 
• Mussolini’s foreign policy aims:

  Wanted to gain control over Italy’s current influences in the Balkans and the Mediterranean.

  • Also wanted the ‘unredeemed’ territory which was promised to Italy in the Treaty of London 1915 but not granted to them
  • Mussolini's foreign policies can be seen as distracting from the domestic situation or in response to Hitler
• Italian actions in Libya from 1922 onwards:

  • Libya had been an Italian colony since 1912
  • When Mussolini came to power, Italian troops became more aggressive as the previous liberal govm't struggled to control revolts.
  • But Guerrilla troops stopped italy still from gaining full control
  • In 1928 Mussolini escalated his army’s involvement 
  • Concentration camps were created 
  • Mosques destroyed 
  • Chemical weapons used 
  • In 1932 the italian governor claimed ‘the pacification of Libya was complete’ 
• The four power pact (july 1933): 

  • Italy, britain, france, germany 
  • All agreed to keep peace for at least 10 years
  • Germany broke this by leaving the disarmament conference and the league of nations

  The four power pact was never ratified

  • It also meant the USSR felt alienated
• The Stresa Front - April 1935

  Germany’s first attempt to take over Austria happened in 1934

  • This worried Italy who shared a border

  A conference was held in Stresa - 1935

  Britain, France, and Italy agreed to oppose any country that wished to disturb the peace of Europe.

  • This was aimed at Germany but did not discourage Hitler.

  Mussolini also thought the agreement would mean Britain and France wouldn’t intervene in his planned invasion of Abyssinia. 
• Japanese expansionism

  The depression hit japan hard.

  The population was growing by 1 million per year and unable to be fed

  • Japan relied on imports, after 1929 rice had to be imported to prevent starvation
  • tariffs meant exports sank by 40% 
  • The Japanese wanted to expand their influence in order to become self-sustaining.
• Japanese expansionism cont'd:

  Japan made up 70% of foreigners and 35% of investment in manchuria

  Japan had invested and built the southern manchurian railway which spread their influence 
• How hitler became fuhrer:

  2nd August 1934 - President Hindenburg died ageed 87

  Hitler then moved to take supreme power.

  • He combined the roles of president and chancellor and becomes the FUHRER
  • The army was forced to swear an oath of loyalty TO HITLER (not to the president/country) 
  • A plebiscite was organised to confirm Hitler as Fuhrer - 90% voted in favour 

  In 1933 Hitler had withdrawn from the disarmament programme and in 1935 he publicly announced his rearmament policy.
• Relations between Italy and Germany:

  • Mussolini feared an aggressive Germany
  • Hitler made it clear in Mein Kampf that he wanted ANSCHLUSS with Austria - this threatened Italy and also hindered Italian interests in the Balkans.
  • Rome agreements with France 1935 - Italy’s response to German threat
  • The Stresa front 1935 - Italy hoped to gain british and french support against aggression (Germany)
• The Black shirts - the violent italian fascists.
• The Austrian Putsch - 1934

  • A Nazi inspired putsch in Austria led to the assassination of the facist (but not nazi) Austrian chancellor, Dollfuss
  • Mussolini rushed 100,000 troops to the border to prevent any Nazi invasion which enabled the Austrians to restore order and Hitler didn’t help the Austrian Nazis.
• Mussolini claimed ‘it is a crime not to be strong’ 
• libya had been an italian colony since 1912
• the west saw japan as an ally against communism 

  *The five power limitation treaty 1922 - restricted Japanese naval development and caused anger

  • Limited to 70% of U.S naval capacity 5:5:3

  *1930 London Naval Treaty - helped widen existing divisions between civilian and military authorities 

  • Military authorities thoguht government hadn’t done enough to increase their navy 
• January 1935 Rome Agreements:

  • Initiated by french foreign minister Pierre Laval who was pro-Italian
  • Italy and france agreed to respect each other’s european and colonial borders 
• • 16th March 1935 - Hitler announces his rearmament policy