SHARE WITH FRIENDS:
Italy and Spain in 1918-1939
PLAN.
-
Consequences of the First World War for Italy.
-
Domestic and foreign policy of the government of Orlando.
-
The rise of fascism.
-
The impact of the First World War on Spain.
-
The establishment of a military dictatorship and the fall of the Monarchy.
-
Civil war and the establishment of the Franco dictatorship.
Italy was also one of the victorious countries in the war. However, this victory cost him dearly. Italy lost 650 thousand citizens in the war. More than 800 people were disabled. Qualifying military expenses 46 billion. founded Lear.
At the moment, Italy receives 2,5 billion from Great Britain and 1,5 billion from the USA. The dollar became a debt. In this way, Italy's dependence on foreign products and loans increased even more.
The large amount of public debt led to a sharp increase in taxes. The currency was devalued, and as a result, the prices increased dramatically. There was a famine in the country. Moreover, the results of the war made Italy a defeated nation among the victorious.
But Great Britain and France did not go beyond their promises at the Paris peace conference. That is, they did not give the promised territories to Italy. True, Italy was not spared. For example, South Tyrol belonging to the former Austro-Hungarian Empire and the port of Trieste on the Adriatic coast, some areas of Yugoslavia, as well as the Dodecanese island belonging to Turkey, were given to Italy. Meanwhile, Italy became a permanent member of the League of Nations. He was also given the right to have a fleet equal to the power of the French military.
Orlando, one of the major political figures of Italy, took the post of prime minister in October 1917. Orlando's government continued Italy's involvement in the World War. This government supported Italian participation in the Entente's struggle against Soviet Russia. That is why in 1918 he sent his troops to Odessa, Murmansk and Vladivostok.
The government could not prevent the loss of foreign trade markets and the interruption of external credit. As a result, shortly after the war, an economic crisis began in the country. As a result, wages fell sharply and inflation increased. The soldiers who were discharged from the army were unemployed. In such conditions (in June 1919), the government of Orlando was forced to resign.
The years 1919-1920 entered the history of Italy under the name "Red Biennial". This phrase means that during these two years, some measures implemented in Soviet Russia (Bolsheviks were called red) were also implemented in Italy. For example, in Northern Italy, workers took over factories and plants and established their own control over production.
Since the Italian army declared its neutrality in the domestic political events, the government could not send the army to suppress such "arbitrariness" of the workers.
In 1920, workers had the opportunity to seize power. However, there was no serious political party capable of organizing their movement, leading this work through parliament towards raising the horse.
In 1920, the intensification of the revolutionary movement in Italy forced the government of Nitti, who took the post of prime minister after Orlando, to resign less than a year later.
In 1919, ex-soldiers who returned from the front in Italy formed an organization called "Association of comrades-in-arms" (Fashi di combattimento) to protect their interests. This organization was headed by Benito Mussolini (1883-1945). This organization widely propagated the ideas of fascism in Italy. Benito Mussolini was originally a socialist. The inability of bourgeois parliamentarism to establish order in the country, the disappointment of millions of citizens who hoped for an improvement in their living standards after the war, and the dissatisfaction of the Italian ruling circles with the results of the war were among the factors that created fascism.
From 1920, the fascists became more active and started to form their own military units. Instead of fighting against fascism, the Italian Socialist Party and the General Confederation of Labor signed a "pact of amity" with Mussolini on August 1923, 3. This behavior of workers' organizations strengthened fascism and made it a leading political force.
The leaders of the "General Confederation of Industry", which had the greatest influence in Malakat's life, sent a telegram to King Victor-Emmanuel III, demanding that he hand over power to Mussolini. The king responded by appointing Mussolini as Prime Minister, and on October 1922, 30, Mussolini formed a coalition government. Thus, fascism came to power in Italy legally.
At the end of 1924, under the pressure of Mussolini, changes were made to the electoral law. According to him, the party that received the most votes in the election had two-thirds of the seats in the parliament. Mussolini's party won the 1924 parliamentary elections under the new law. In this way, Mussolini's fascist dictatorship was established in the country.
Since 1926, other political parties have been dissolved. Italy has now become a one-party dictatorship. In 1929, Mussolini signed an agreement with the Vatican. According to it, the Pope of Rome (Vatican) was recognized as a religious ruler and Catholicism was recognized as the national religion, church property was exempted from taxes.
Mussolini's goal was to establish a corporate order in the economy. For this purpose, in 1927, a document called "Labor Charter" was adopted.
According to the corporative system introduced in the economy, workers and investors became equal members of a single trade union to jointly solve production problems. 22 corporations were formed in various sectors of the economy and merged into the National Corporations Council. The composition of the National Council consisted of businessmen and representatives of the Nazi Party. Corporations have not undermined the position of large owners.
Two institutions were established to ensure the transfer of the management of the country's economy to the hands of the state. One of them was called the Emir of Industrial Restoration.
The second institution was called the National Administration of Liquid Fuels.
The world economic crisis that occurred in 1929 put the underdeveloped Italian economy in an extremely difficult situation. The crisis reached its peak in 1932. In this year, industrial production decreased by 1929% compared to 33.
While organizing the economic life of the state, it chose the path of autarky economy. An autarky economy is an economy that is self-sufficient in all necessary products. In such a farm, the building is not overlooked. In 1934-1935, the introduction of state monopoly in foreign trade in Italy is also explained by this.
During the 30s, totalitarian dictatorship prevailed in political life as well. All forms of democracy, including parliament, were abolished. Instead of the parliament, the fascist party and the chamber of corporation representatives were formed.
The mass media has been completely subjugated to the service of the fascist state. Teachers of higher educational institutions swore loyalty to B. Missolini - Duche.
In 1923, Italy occupied the Greek island of Corfu. However, at the request of Great Britain, he was forced to leave the island. In 1924, the port of Fiuma belonging to Yugoslavia was transferred to Italy. Italy recognized Soviet Russia this year and established diplomatic relations with it.
In 1927, he practically established his protectorate over Albania. On October 1935, 3, the 600-strong Italian army invaded Ethiopia. By May 1936, the occupation of Ethiopia came to an end.
In 1937, he joined the "Anti-Comintern Pact" signed between Germany and Japan. B. Mussolini called this pact an agreement around which the whole of Europe should unite. According to this agreement, Germany recognized Italy's occupation of Ethiopia. In April 1939, Italy completely occupied Albania.
Spain remained neutral in the First World War. This situation allowed him to develop successful trade relations with the countries that are part of both warring military-political alliances. The volume of exports was higher than the volume of imports.
Spain, however, remained an underdeveloped, agrarian-industrial country. In the country's agriculture, the remnants of medieval slavery were still strong. Two-thirds of all land was owned by large landowners and the Catholic Church, which had great influence in the life of the country. Millions of peasant farms owned only one-third of the land.
Although Spain did not participate in the hostilities, the war made the living conditions of the country's population miserable. For example, the price of food products increased by 65 percent. Inflation increased and real wages fell. As a result of this, on August 1917, 13, a general political strike took place in the country.
In 1918-1920, the wave of revolutionary movement in Spain grew stronger. This situation confused the ruling circles. During these years, the government changed 8 times. The government failed to solve the pressing social problems. This situation created a danger of establishing a military dictatorship in the country.
At the same time, on September 1923, 13, General Primo de Rivera, commander of the military district of Catalonia, staged a coup d'état. Power passed to the military directorate. In this way, a military-fascist dictatorship was established in Spain.
The world economic crisis that began in 1929 destroyed the economy of Spain, which was in a difficult situation. The national debt has increased dramatically. Corruption has become rampant.
In order to prevent a revolutionary explosion in the country, the military general had to resign Primo de Rivera in January.
Republicans won the local elections held on April 1931, 12. The news about the end of the election gave impetus to the development of the political struggle. A bourgeois-democratic revolution took place in the country. On April 14, the revolutionaries announced the overthrow of the royal power. Hearing this and admitting defeat, King Alfonso XIII abdicated on that day and fled the country.
Elections to the Constituent Assembly were held in June 1931. Republican parties and socialists won it. A coalition government of socialists and left republicans led by M. Asanya was formed in the country. On December 9, the new Constitution of the country was adopted. The Constitution declared Spain a "republic of all workers".
In 1933, the fascists created a party called the "Spanish Falange". The activation of the right-wing forces was also caused by the public's dissatisfaction with the policies of the left-wing government (Asanya's government). The government's indecisiveness in carrying out reforms began to destroy its reputation in the eyes of the public.
1933 – the right-wing parties won the parliamentary elections held at the end of the year. Thus, it became increasingly clear that there would be a fascist coup in Spain.
The People's Front won the parliamentary elections on February 1936, 16. The People's Front government began to fulfill its promises. For example, according to the agrarian reform, until July 1936, farmers received more than 700 hectares of land. Deep reforms of the Popular Front government worried big investors, the church, large landowners, and military generals.
On July 1936, 17, the military began a rebellion in Morocco. On July 18, the rebellion moved to Spain. Thus, the civil war began in Spain. 80 percent of the army went over to the side of the rebel Nazis. General F. Franco (1892-1975) led the rebellion. The legal government of Spain began to take urgent measures to protect the constitutional system of the republic. A republican army of 300 people was formed. The fate of the civil war was decided by the intervention of Germany and Italy. They sent their military forces to help Franco. As a result, Republicans were deprived of the opportunity to buy weapons from abroad. Volunteer units came from European countries, including the Soviet Union, and took part in the war on the side of the legitimate government of Spain.
In September 1936, rebel fascists began an attack on the country's capital, Madrid. The Nazis had a great advantage in terms of quality and quantity of military weapons. Republicans fought valiantly against them. But the forces were not equal. Fascism won. On March 1939, 28, Madrid was occupied. Western countries immediately recognized F. Franco's government.
Control questions.
-
Describe the consequences of the First World War for Italy and Spain.
-
How did fascism come to power in Italy and Spain?
-
Describe the overthrow of the monarchy in Spain.