To What Extent Was Mussolini's Foreign Policy a Failure from 1933-41
How far do you agree that Mussolini’s foreign policy in the years 1933-41 was a complete failure?
'I want to make Italy great, respected and feared' said Mussolini in 1925. Mussolini's foreign policy included a number of positive and negative factors which all contributed to the rise, and the ultimately to the downfall, of both Mussolini and the Italian empire. Mussolini was intent on revising the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles and was very keen to show off Italy's power. He felt that Italy had been hard done by at the end of world war one and sought to claim what he felt Italy deserved. Mussolini's foreign policy clearly reflected his ambition to reinstate the Italian empire.
Once Mussolini was made prime minister in 1922, he put together his foreign policy plans. Mussolini said, 'Foreign policy is the area which especially pre-occupies us'. For many years, tension had been building up between Italy and Greece, and when an Italian official was killed in a Greek- Albanian border dispute, Mussolini saw this as an opportunity to begin the building of a great Italian empire. Mussolini ordered Greece to apologise and pay 50 million lire in compensation for the death of the Italian official and though the Greeks paid part of the compensation, they did not apologise and Mussolini was not satisfied and seized the opportunity to invade the Greek island of Corfu. And so began the process of building Mussolini's great Italian empire. The League of Nations condemned Mussolini's action against the Greeks and Britain threatened naval intervention. Nevertheless Mussolini only withdrew after Greece paid full compensation.
The campaign effectively enhanced Mussolini's position and popularity back home as the Italian people saw him as a strong and all-powerful leader. The Italian people saw the campaign as a huge success. The campaign also managed to put Mussolini in the spotlight for the rest of Europe to be aware of Mussolini's wish to become a powerful influence in
'I want to make Italy great, respected and feared' said Mussolini in 1925. Mussolini's foreign policy included a number of positive and negative factors which all contributed to the rise, and the ultimately to the downfall, of both Mussolini and the Italian empire. Mussolini was intent on revising the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles and was very keen to show off Italy's power. He felt that Italy had been hard done by at the end of world war one and sought to claim what he felt Italy deserved. Mussolini's foreign policy clearly reflected his ambition to reinstate the Italian empire.
Once Mussolini was made prime minister in 1922, he put together his foreign policy plans. Mussolini said, 'Foreign policy is the area which especially pre-occupies us'. For many years, tension had been building up between Italy and Greece, and when an Italian official was killed in a Greek- Albanian border dispute, Mussolini saw this as an opportunity to begin the building of a great Italian empire. Mussolini ordered Greece to apologise and pay 50 million lire in compensation for the death of the Italian official and though the Greeks paid part of the compensation, they did not apologise and Mussolini was not satisfied and seized the opportunity to invade the Greek island of Corfu. And so began the process of building Mussolini's great Italian empire. The League of Nations condemned Mussolini's action against the Greeks and Britain threatened naval intervention. Nevertheless Mussolini only withdrew after Greece paid full compensation.
The campaign effectively enhanced Mussolini's position and popularity back home as the Italian people saw him as a strong and all-powerful leader. The Italian people saw the campaign as a huge success. The campaign also managed to put Mussolini in the spotlight for the rest of Europe to be aware of Mussolini's wish to become a powerful influence in