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Transcript

Hitler attacked Poland

The King made it abundantly clear to Il Duce that the army was in no way ready for war. August 25th he faced the humiliating task of informing Hitler that he couldn't honour the Pact o Steel unless Germany could meet a long list of Italys economic demands.

June 1940

Mussolini reversed his decision and entered the war. In March Germany promised to make up the shortfall in coal, however the main reason for his turn was that France looked like it was on the brink of collapse.The rich pickings on offer were just too tempting.

June 10th 1940

Italian response

Invasion of Greece

Invasion of Sicily

Mussolini declared war on Britain and France. This time Italy would show the world.

Italy were the first troops sent to invade Greece, they were successful intiially but lacked the weaponary and skills- they needed the German army to help them out and keep the battle going until 1943.

April 1945

Summer 1943, the Anglo-American army invaded Sicily. By September mainland Italy was invaded and island of Sardinia taken. This resulted in the Grand Council did a vote of no confidence in Mussolini and imprisoned him.

Defeat and Humilation

The Allies finally reached Northern Italy in April 1945. The war was clearly lost for Italy. Mussolini and his mistress were captured and shot. Their bodies were hung up by their feet on a gantry at a petrol station.

Rescue of Il Duce and Puppet State

Italian troops were poorly equipped and under trained.

However two weeks later France surrendered to Germany.

The Battle of Taranto, November 1940 was a humilating defeat and showed the Italian army to be weak.

On 12th September 1943, a daring German commando raid rescued Il Duce from his prison. German troops poured into Italy seizing Rome before the Allies could reach it. There were now two Italy's. One under American Occupation and a nothern Fascist State.

Ciano, the King, many of the old elite and army chiefs were unhappy about this new found aggression. They urged him to move towards more friendly relations with Britain and France.

Italy 1939-43

Alliance with Germany

Munich Conference-Mussolini was hailed as a Peacemaker. This arguably stirred up his determination for Fresh Aggression.

He felt contempt for Germany and France and envy for Germany.

Mussolini described Chamberlain as "the tired son of rich men who will loose an empire."

Mussolini was shocked when in March 1939 Hitler broke the Munich Agreement and occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia. Mussolini was envious- In April Mussolini invaded Albania and annexed it. This led to the Pact of Steele.

Mussolini's Fall from Power

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