Raptor wrote:Mussolini also had an obsession with invading Albania and Greece and did so even though Hitler advised against it. Sure, Ciano pushed for Italy's involvement but surely Mussolini would have to take most of the blame for that one (at least out of the two). Further, in my research I have come to the conclusion that Ciano was more interested in spreading Fascism while Mussolini was more interest in spreading Italy. Do not get me wrong, however, for Ciano felt that spreading Italy was one of the best tools for spreading Fascism. Further, was is wrong for pushing for Italy's involvement with Spain? It set up the second longest lasting Fascist regime ever (Portugal's Estado Novo being the longest). I bet Ciano would consider that a success in his quest to spread Fascism.
Yes, Mussolini as well as Ciano wanted to invade, but Ciano was the one who really pushed Mussolini and his circle into wanting to go into Greece. As for Albania and Spain, he wanted it as much as they did.
Ciano was more interested in spreading Fascism while Mussolini more interested in spreading Italy? I don't know... Ultimately Ciano voted to restore the king's power, and helped Mussolini get arrested. Ciano helped end Fascism, giving power back to the monarch that embodied Italy at the time (remember, Italy never had a democracy before this point, Fascism was the introduction of capitalism to Italy). That's how he died, he was executed for treason- put on trial before Mussolini himself. It's easy to point the blame in all that happened to Mussolini, however his inner circle that he began surrounding himself as he got closer with the Germans and tied into the axis that dragged the nation down nearly, if not equally, as much as did Mussolini himself. Throughout his career as Duce, Mussolini always conceded to what the people in power wanted, and it is arguable that at times he broke his own political beliefs to support his political allies. I remember reading a quote from Mussolini to Margherita Sarfatti, his Jewish lover, that he must pretend to hate the Jews for political reasons. Mussolini followed his crowd, and Ciano was the big player in that crowd when things started really going downhill. Not only did Ciano help bring the nation down with bad leadership decisions, but he also proved to be a traitor to his own cause.
Was it wrong for pushing Italy's involvement with Spain? Well it depends on what standpoint you're asking me that question from. Whether I think they should have become involved, as a means of spreading the Fascist cultural revolution, then I would agree with you. However becoming involved from the beginning was a mistake made out of the regime's getting too caught up in their own dream, their own fantasy of power. After Ethiopia, the regime was at it's prime. They felt like now, having conquered Ethiopia, the Italians were a grand imperial force. They were delusional. The Italians were always weak, and extremely so. Sending troops into Spain was something that they couldn't afford, and hurt them in the second great war. When WWII came the average Italian soldier did not have boots, hardly any tanks were manufactured, the air force was a joke, their submarines were antiques that leaked poisonous gases out of their engines, their muskets produced in the 1890s, and their naval units were not equipped properly with anti-air weaponry. I don't think sending in more troops to Spain, Albania, Greece, hell even when they went and took Egypt from the Brits they just couldn't afford it. But I wouldn't peg Egypt on Ciano.
Not even Germany sent in their troops to Spain, and their war machine was swelling rapidly at the time. The Germans stuck to air raids.
Also, when WWII came Franco didn't even get involved, after all his allies had done for him. It was clearly not a good investment, so far as personal gain goes.