Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject Politics - Region: USA, grade: 2 (B), University of Bonn (Political Science), course: Proseminar, language: English, abstract: The view of the United States of America concerning Italy after Benito Mussolini’s “March on Rome” was important for the whole of Europe. The political course of the fascist country also affected the surrounding European states. In the primary phase of the fascist regime, the U.S. government was in the position to alter parts of Italy’s policy course, by applying political pressure. Thus America’s foreign policy towards Italy did not only concern this one country. It also had consequences for the rest of Europe, and the start of the Second World War. This work is concerned with the view of the successive American administrations towards Italy after Mussolini’s ascension to power. Questions being answered are: How did the U.S. government react after the fascist ruler took over Italy? Did the administration valuate Mussolini as a positive or a negative change for the European country? Was a thread visible in the U.S. attitude concerning Italy? What were the government’s reactions to Italy’s cooperation with Hitler? And: Could a different American political strategy concerning Italy have hindered Hitler’s war efforts? To answer those questions, the work is structured along three main parts. The first part is addressed with the U.S. government’s position after Benito Mussolini’s soaring to power. This part is divided into a description of America’s characterization of the new leader and an account of the first times the U.S. questioned their view on Italy. Following this evaluation, the second part deals with the American view in the times of The Great Depression. The third part is concerned with the administrations view after Hitler’s rise to power. Finally the conclusion marks the end of this work. Mainly four books were used: David F Schmitz’ “The United States and fascist Italy, 1922 – 1940” gives a well structured and informative overview of the American – Italian relations from Mussolini’s ascension to power, until the begin of The Second World War. Another useful book, in the first parts handling this topic, is H. Stuart Hughes’ “The United States and Italy”1. John P. Diggins’ work “ Mussolini and Fascism: The view from America”2 is mainly concerned with the public opinion in the U.S. toward Italy and very informative. Another well written and informative book dealing with America’s foreign policy is William L. Langer’s and S. Everett Gleason’s book “The challenge to isolation: The world crisis of 1937 – 1940 and American foreign policy”.

A comprehensive analysis of American foreign policy and Mussolini's Italy. Schmitz argues that the U.S. desire for order, interest in Open Door trade, and concern about left-wing revolution led American policymakers to welcome Mussolini's coming to power and to support fascism in Italy for most of the interwar period. Originally published in 1988. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

Originally published in Italian in 1980, Migone covers the relationship between the United States and Italy during the interwar years.

In 1943 the United States reluctantly took part in the invasion and liberation of Italy and, during the occupation, became increasingly involved in Italy's reconstruction problems. The program that evolved was distinctly American in approach, with emphasis on creating middle-class democracies under the control of moderate leaders and parties. Miller chronicles the success--and near collapse--of the reform program and explains the reasons for further U.S. postwar intervention. Originally published in 1986. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

In October 1922 Mussolini became the constitutional head of the Italian government; by late 1926 he had imposed a Fascist dictatorship on Italy. Professor Cassels, who argues that Mussolini's policies in the 1930s, the era of the Rome- Berlin axis, were foreshadowed by those of the 1920s, traces the stages by which Mussolini took control of Italy's foreign relations. Within the period 1922-1927, Mussolini, biased against democratic states, moved away from Italy's wartime alliance with Britain and France to a policy in favor of authoritarian force. France became the "moral rival"; and the Anglo-Italian entente, calculated to insure British good will, soon cooled as Mussolini sought to realize an Italian empire in the Mediterranean basin. Italy's career diplomats, who at first had tried to restrain Mussolini's adventurism, by 1927 were totally in the background. Mussolini emerges, therefore, as a more radical and far less conventional Italian statesman than he is usually depicted in other historical studies. Originally published in 1970. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

This thesis attempts to prove that relations between Fascist Italy and the United States government arose from, and remained grounded in, economic interest. Examining America's new position as a financial power demonstrates that America held influence in the future of Europe as never before and used this influence to further its booming economy. When considering the actions between politicians and businessmen who viewed the new Italian Fascist government's ideology positively, it is evident that the American government was significantly influenced by those interested in personally making money on Fascist Italy. By this same token, a look at the economic situation and Italian Fascist actions shows a clear link between what the Italians needed economically, what America wanted diplomatically, and what American financiers did to ensure both sides were satisfied. The economic triangle appears most clear when examining the war debt settlement between the Italian and American government, and the one-million dollar loan by J.P. Morgan that shortly followed. When congenial relations between the governments faltered once fascist economics proved to be unreliable and America's financial power diminished following the depression, it became apparent that relations between the two countries had been rooted in unreliable economic interest.