jul 3, 1936 - AIM: Drawing Mussolini away from the association of GB + FR (Stresa Front) and making Italy a German ally, since Mussolini was also assisting Franco. WHAT HAPPENED: Hitler persuaded Mussolini to abandon BR + FR, and though he was never a formal ally he made it clear in a speech in November 1936 that the two countries were getting closer as he referred to the German-Italian relationship as the "Rome-Berlin Axis". (Timeline)