How accurate is it to say that Mussolini's foreign policy was a complete failure?

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  • How accurate is it to say that Mussolini's foreign policy was a complete failure between 1935-1941?
    • P: Attempts to grand stand internationally
      • Explain: Mussolini had a desire to compete with Hitler to show he was at least as good a diplomat as Hitler
      • Example: Success at Munich conference showed Mussolini to be successful in international diplomacy.
        • C/F:Mussolini was acting as a sub servant to Hitler at this stage. The Stresa Front of 1935 had broken down Italy's relationship with Britain and France and led to dependance on Germany. This culminated in the Pact of Steel of 1939 where Mussolini was completely sub servant to Hitler
    • P:Expand fascism abroad, and create a fascist empire.
      • Explain:This was integral to Mussolini as if he conquered nations abroad and spread the fascist ideology then it would show his strength as a leader
      • Example: Abyssinia 1935- Italy committed 300,000 troops and defeated 500,000 Abyssinians with only 60,000 Italian casualties.
        • C/F:This campaign alienated the British and the French, which made the diplomatic triumph of the Stresa Front all but redundant.
      • Example 2: Spanish Civil War 1936. Franco ultimately won, which shows that the fascist ideology was spread to another European nation.
        • C/F: However, Italy did not gain Spain as a satellite state as they hoped and suffered a dramatic economic downturn asa result of the war as well as 3,500 casualties.
    • P + explain :Mussolini wanted to distract the Italian population away from the increasing domestic issues through a number of foreign policy campaigns
      • Example 1: Italy's decision to invade France in June 1940-.
        • C/F: Complete failure- Italian troops only captured 13 small towns in the French Alps, at a cost of 650 men, many of whom died of frost bite
      • Example2: Campaign in Greece- complete failure. Mussolini committed 60,000 troops, which resulted in the most significant Italian military defeat in Mussolini's time as dictator.
        • 30,000 Italians died resulting in Italy having to call upon Germany, which was further humiliation for Mussolini as the German Army defeated the Greeks 300,000 in just 2 weeks.

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