Italian expansion (1935–1940)
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Flip to reveal answersWhat were Mussolini's main foreign-policy aims?
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Question
What were Mussolini's main foreign-policy aims?
Answer
Empire (especially in Africa), national prestige reviving "Roman" greatness, and mare nostrum — domination of the Mediterranean.
Question
What does mare nostrum mean?
Answer
"Our sea" — Mussolini's goal of turning the Mediterranean into an Italian-dominated lake.
Question
When did Italy invade and conquer Abyssinia?
Answer
Invaded October 1935; conquered by May 1936.
Question
Why was the Abyssinian crisis so significant?
Answer
The League's weak sanctions failed to stop Italy, destroying the League's credibility and pushing Mussolini toward Nazi Germany.
Question
Why did the League's sanctions on Italy fail?
Answer
They excluded oil and kept the Suez Canal open, so Italian troops and supplies still reached East Africa.
Question
How did the Spanish Civil War affect Italy-Germany relations?
Answer
Italy (1936-39) backed Franco alongside Hitler's forces, deepening fascist co-operation and drawing the two dictators closer.
Question
What was the Rome-Berlin Axis and when?
Answer
The October 1936 alignment of Italy and Germany, named after a Mussolini speech.
Question
When did Italy annex Albania?
Answer
April 1939, extending Italian influence into the Balkans.
Question
What was the Pact of Steel and when was it signed?
Answer
A binding military alliance between Italy and Germany, signed May 1939.
Question
When and why did Italy enter the Second World War?
Answer
June 1940, only once France was collapsing — Mussolini wanted to share the spoils of a war he thought was nearly won.
Question
Order Mussolini's expansion (the 'A SAP' hook).
Answer
Abyssinia (1935) → Spain (1936-39) → Albania (1939) → Pact of Steel (1939), then entry into WWII (1940).
Question
Long-term vs short-term causes of Italy's alignment with Germany?
Answer
Long-term: fascist ideology, Mussolini's empire ambitions. Short-term: estrangement from Britain/France over Abyssinia sanctions, co-operation in Spain.
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German and Italian expansion (1933–1940)
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