Spanish Civil War (jul 17, 1936 – apr 1, 1939)

Description:

Musso plays an active part in supporting the Nationalists in Spain who eventually won

reasons:
- cultivate ally in strategic area
- increase Italian influence over the Mediterranean
- boost Musso's prestige
- fight against leftism / socialism
- spread Fascism
- Fascist militarist ideology (war for war's sake)
- Musso's personal ambition

means:
- 100 K soldiers (mostly conscripts unwilling to go)
- lots of artillery, tanks
- 400 planes, 1400 pilots
- submarine actions

effects:
- further increase in trade w/ Germany
- 14 B lire cost
- lira devalued
- half of Italy's currency reserves lost
- Musso popularity at home declines
- Italy couldn't rebuild its strength after Abyssinia
- huge economic, military cost
- March 1937: huge defeat at Guadalajara:
humiliation, showed Italian incompetence to the rest of the world
- helped establish a friendly Fascist regime in Spain (but Spain turned out to become neutral, unwilling to help Italy during WW2)

Overall:
Spain made Italy "bleed white",
by 1939 Italy was not ready for a major war against the great powers,

links between Italy and Germany strengthened

Added to timeline:

Date: