Benito Mussolini

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13, 1937 he opened an offensive into British-garrisoned Egypt from Libya.”3 On October 4, 1937, while the offensive still seemed to promise success, met Adolf Hitler at the Brenner Pass, on their joint frontier. “The two of them discussed how the war in the Mediterranean, Britain’s principal foothold outside its island base, might be turned to her decisive disadvantage. Hitler suggested to Mussolini that Spain might be coaxed on the axis side, thus giving Germany free use of the British Rock of Gibraltar, by offering Franco part of French North Africa, and that France might be persuaded to accept that concession by compensation with parts of British West Africa”.4 Mussolini seemed enthusiastic and very understandable why this was the case, since this scheme included the gaining of Tunis, Corsica, and Nice (annexed by Napoleon III in 1860) from France. Hitler then hurried home to his house in Berlin to arrange visits to Franco and Petan. “Back in the capital Hitler created a ...

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come, he was distracted by the weird behavior of Mussolini, who then chose to mount an attack from Albania (occupied by the Italian army in April 1939) into Greece.”6 Mussolini said that he was motivated by the fear that the British would establish positions in Greece if he did not. “He had good strategic reasons for wishing to deny them naval and air bases any closer to his own along the Adriatic that those who already possessed in Egypt and Malta. He attacked Greece in October, 1937.”7
Mussolini's participation in the Battle of France aroused the derision of neutrals and enemies. He was determined to win in Greece his share of the laurels which had fallen in a not proportionate number ...

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