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UNITED STATES FOREIGN POLICY TOWARD FASCIST ITALY, 1922-194

Posted on:1986-04-14Degree:Ph.DType:Dissertation
University:Rutgers The State University of New Jersey - New BrunswickCandidate:SCHMITZ, DAVID FFull Text:PDF
GTID:1476390017960333Subject:American history
Abstract/Summary:
American foreign policy toward Fascist Italy has received little attention from scholars. Yet, it was in developing their policies toward Italy that American policymakers first developed the ideological justifications for supporting Right wing dictatorships in response to the broad revolutionary movements that emerged out of World War I. During the interwar period, American leaders were occupied with the problem of how best to restore Europe's economy and how best to contain, or put an end to, the Bolshevik threat in Russia. This desire for order and stability led to the United States supporting Fascism in Italy in direct contradiction with its purported ideals. In addition, the American experience with Mussolini and Fascist Italy during the 1920's played an important role in shaping President Roosevelt's thoughts about European problems during the 1930's and in producing his administration's policy of economic appeasement toward Nazi Germany. Moreover, the Roosevelt administration sought to use Mussolini to influence Hitler toward peace. When this failed, Roosevelt attempted to use personal diplomacy to split Italy away from Germany in order to keep it neutral, and to prevent the war from spreading to the Mediterranean.;In order to fill this gap in the literature, this dissertation examines what American policymakers' concerns and expectations were in relation to Italy and Europe from the end of World War I to the outbreak of World War II. Specifically, it examines how policymakers viewed Italy before Mussolini came to power and after; what their perceptions were of Fascism in Italy; what policies they developed during the interwar years to deal with Fascist Italy; what effect the prior experience with Mussolini's Italy had on the Roosevelt administration's attitudes and policies toward the political and economic crisis of Europe during the 1930's; and what policies Roosevelt pursued toward Italy as war approached in Europe.
Keywords/Search Tags:Foreign policy toward fascist italy, American, United states, Roosevelt, Experience with mussolini, Europe, Policies
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