A* standard notes for Cambridge A-Level History (9389/9489) Paper 4 European option, Depth Study 1: European history in the interwar years, 1919–41 covering Theme 1: Mussolini's Italy (1919-41). Includes essay outlines, mind maps, and exam tips.
I achieved an A* for History in the Cambridge A-...
A-LEVEL HISTORY: P4 (9489)- THEME 1: MUSSOLINI ITALY, 1919-41
EUROPEAN OPTION, DEPTH STUDY 1: EUROPEAN HISTORY IN THE INTERWAR YEARS, 1919-41
1.1 Why did Mussolini gain power in 1922?
→ Italy’s post WW1 problems
● Dissatisfaction with peace settlement (“Mutilated Victory”)
Expected gains promised under Treaty of London, 1915 (ie. Fiume, Dalmatia, Trentino,
Trieste)
■ US refused to give Fiume; vital to economy of new Yugoslav state
■ Denied Dalmatia; too few Italians live there
■ Gained no African territories
○ Seizure of Fiume, Sep 1919
■ Nationalist Gabriele D’Annunzio led 2000 armed men & occupied Fiume
● Against Italian govt
● D’Annunzio showed the way to achieve results was to act decisively
& not be afraid to use force (became public hero)
■ PM Nitti refused to interfere
○ Italian PM Vittorio Orlando felt ignored by Big Three
○ Nationalists blamed Liberal weakness (middle class)
○ Increased nationalism
■ New nation; only united in 1871
○ Austria’s defeat = Italy dominant power in Adriatic
● Economic & Social
○ Inflation & war debts = post-war economic crisis
■ Trade balance & BoP is large deficit; devalued exchange rate
● 1919: Exports covered 36% of imports
■ 1918-19: Italy’s expenditure was triple the amount of income
■ 1919: National debt 85 billion lira (borrowed from US/Brit)
● Cost 148 million lire over the 3 years (2x the amount for unification)
■ Price rose by 250% between 1914-18 & doubled between 1914-18
■ Keynes: Italian situation a “hopeless case” & advised Brit to not grant new
loans
■ 25% fall in real wages and middle class’ savings destroyed
○ WW1: 5 million conscripted, 600,000+ dead, 450,000 permanently disabled, 500,000
seriously wounded, 2.5 million+ soldiers demobilised
○ Landowners relied on rent; state employees wages didn’t keep up with inflation
○ 1915-18 growth of industrial producing geared directly to war effort
■ Inflation increased = raised their prices
■ Govt desperate for military victory continued to buy
● Eg. Fiat expanded until it became the largest commercial vehicle
manufacturer in 1918 Europe
■ Couldn’t be maintained post-war
● Profits fell when govt reduced spending
○ Widened North-South divide
■ N. suffered collapse of wartime industries
■ S. experienced poverty & agricultural problems
○ Labour militancy
■ Wartime discipline relaxed
■ 1919: 1 million+ workers took part in strikes
■ Membership of Socialist trade unions: ¼ million in 1918 to 2 million in 1920
○ Soldiers returned from war = rising unemployment
■ Industries with falling profits weren’t employing anyone
■ 1919: 2 million unemployed
Sonia A. Sanjay Notes
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying this summary from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller soniaasanjay. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy this summary for R369,90. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
