German-Italian Relations 1933 - 1940

What happened to Germany's relationship with Italy before the Second World War?

In the years between 1933 and 1939, Germany and Italy became more closely allied with each other.

Why did Germany and Italy become friendly before the Second World War?

Germany and Italy had a number of things in common.

• ❖ Both had extreme right-wing governments.
• ❖ Both states were governed by fascist ideology.
• ❖ Both were militaristic.
• ❖ Both had ambitions to expand. Italy invaded Abyssinia in 1935 and Albania in 1939. Hitler invaded and occupied Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland between 1938 and 1939.
• ❖ Both were prepared to defy the League of Nations and the main western powers of Britain and France.

What changed between Germany and Italy to make them become allies?

After Hitler rose to power in 1933, Germany and Italy were initially rivals. However, there was increasing support between them before the outbreak of the Second World War.

• ❖ In July 1934, Italy opposed German plans for Anschluss with Austria.
• ❖ In May 1935, Italy joined Britain and France in the Stresa Front, against German rearmament.
• ❖ In October 1935, Germany continued to trade with Italy after it invaded Abyssinia despite economic sanctions by the League of Nations.
• ❖ In July 1936, Italy and Germany both supported General Franco in the Spanish Civil War.
• ❖ In November 1936, Mussolini made a speech referring to the 'Rome-Berlin Axis'.
• ❖ In November 1937, Italy signed the Anti-Comintern Pact with Germany and Japan.
• ❖ In March 1938, Mussolini agreed to Anschluss and allowed Germany to unite with Austria without Italian interference.
• ❖ In September 1938, Mussolini played a key role in the Munich Conference.
• ❖ In May 1939, Italy and Germany signed a formal alliance called the Pact of Steel.
• ❖ In September 1939, Italy remained neutral when the Second World War broke out as Mussolini felt Italy wasn't ready for war.