Italy’s entry into World War II

E118744

Italy’s entry into World War II was Benito Mussolini’s decision in June 1940 to join the conflict on the side of Nazi Germany in hopes of territorial expansion and great-power status.

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Label Occurrences
Italy’s entry into World War II canonical 1

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf historical event
ally Nazi Germany
alsoKnownAs Italy’s declaration of war in June 1940
announcedIn Mussolini’s speech from Palazzo Venezia balcony
conflict World War II
countryInvolved Kingdom of Italy
date 1940-06-10
declaredAgainst French Third Republic
United Kingdom
surface form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
declaredBy Kingdom of Italy
domesticContext Mussolini’s desire to maintain regime prestige
propaganda emphasizing Italy’s imperial destiny
followedBy North African campaign
surface form: Italian campaigns in North Africa

Italian invasion of France
surface form: Italian invasion of France (June 1940)

Italian involvement in the Greco-Italian War
Italian participation in the Battle of the Mediterranean
headOfStateAtTime Victor Emmanuel III of Italy
surface form: King Victor Emmanuel III
historicalAssessment widely regarded as a strategic miscalculation by Mussolini
ideologicalContext Italian Fascism
internationalContext German victories in Western Europe
collapse of France in 1940
leaderResponsible Benito Mussolini
legalForm declaration of war
locationContext Rome
month June
motivatedBy Mussolini’s fear of diplomatic isolation
aspiration to great-power status
desire to revise post–World War I settlement
expectation of quick German victory
territorial expansion
opponent British Empire
France
United Kingdom
partOf European theatre of World War II
politicalSystem Fascist regime
precededBy Italian non-belligerence from 1939 to mid-1940
Pact of Steel
surface form: Pact of Steel between Italy and Germany
relatedEvent Second Italo-Ethiopian War
surface form: Italian invasion of Ethiopia

Italian expeditionary force in Spain
surface form: Spanish Civil War Italian intervention
relatedTreaty Pact of Steel
surface form: Pact of Steel (1939)
resultedIn Italian military commitments in Europe and Africa
Italy becoming a belligerent in World War II
eventual military setbacks for Italy
increased dependence on Germany
opening of new fronts for the Allies
side Axis powers
surface form: Axis Powers
year 1940

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Italian invasion of France hasCause Italy’s entry into World War II