The Responsibility of Shared Ideology for Improved Relations Between Germany and Italy, 1936-39

The Responsibility of Shared Ideology for Improved Relations Between Germany and Italy, 1936-39

Germany and Italy were very similar in many ways. They were both one

party states with a strong leader and state control of the economy.

They shared an expansionist foreign policy and had the same methods of

military (private armies). Both Germany and Italy shared nationalist

views and a joint hatred of communism. They both hated the Treaty of

Versailles and wanted it to be revised as they had both come off badly

from it. Germany had lost some of its land from it, and Italy had not

got what it had wanted 'The Mutilated Victory'

But this was not the only reason for the improved relations,

circumstances such as the weaknesses displayed by western allies led

to furthering the link between Germany and Italy and their shared

ideology was just the foundation to their relationship.

In the years before this, 1933-35 the relations had been tense.

Mussolini had felt himself to be more senior than Hitler and there was

also a traditional sense of Italian superiority, due to the legacy of

the Roman Empire. Examples of this tension include the meeting between

the two leaders in June 1934 when Hitler turned up dressed in casual

clothes, whereas Mussolini was in full uniform. Mussolini dismissed

Hitler as 'a silly little clown' also the assassination of Chancellor

Dolfüss in July of 1934 in Austria, by Austrian Nazis, which was part

of an attempt to try and unite Austria and Germany had forced

Mussolini to move his troops to the Brenner Frontier.

In April 1935 Mussolini joined the Stresa Front against Germany and

the Nazis, with reference to re-armament. The Stresa Front collapsed

in December 1935. This was caused by the Franco-Soviet pact in May

1935, which angered Great Britain. The Anglo-German Naval Agreement in

June 1935 and the final straw that 'broke the camels back' was Italy's

involvement in the War in Abyssinia in October 1935. As a result of

this Italy was now isolated, as Germany was from the West and