Italy's Role in the International System 1918-1945 Essay by Master Researcher

During the period from 1918 to 1945, Italy's role in international affairs was over-shadowed by the machinations in Germany and Japan and, at the end, by the ascendancy of the United States and of the Soviet Union to superpower status. Be that as it may, Italy played a key role in setting off the powder keg that became international affairs during the inter-war years through its aggressive foreign policy. Moreover, Italian fascism, while not as vicious or as vehement as its German counterpart, was nonetheless an inspiration of sorts for Hitler. This paper briefly explores Italy's role in the world events of 1918 to 1945 and suggest that, especially in the late 1920s and 1930s, the Italian shadow across international trends was greater than has been commonly supposed.