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The Stresa Front was an agreement made in Stresa, a town on the banks of Lake Maggiore, between French foreign minister Pierre Laval, British prime minister Ramsay MacDonald, and Italian leader Benito Mussolini on April 14, 1935. Formally called the Final Declaration of the Stresa Conference Its aim was to reaffirm the Locarno Treaties, and to declare that the independence of Austria "would continue to inspire their common policy". They also agreed to resist any future attempt by the Germans to change the Treaty of Versailles. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Stresa, as seen from the Borromean Islands Stresa is a small town of about 5,000 inhabitants on the shores of the Lago (Lake) Maggiore, in the region of Piedmont in Italy. ... Lake Maggiore (in Italian: Lago Maggiore or lago Verbano) is the most westerly of the three large prealpine lakes of Europe and the second largest after Lake Garda. ... Pierre Laval, prime minister of Vichy France Pierre Laval (28 June 1883 – 15 October 1945) was a French politician and four times Prime Minister of France, the final time being under the Vichy government. ... James Ramsay MacDonald (12 October 1866 – 9 November 1937) was a British politician and three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... Mussolini redirects here. ... is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... The Locarno Treaties were seven agreements negotiated at Locarno, Switzerland on 5 October—16 October 1925 and formally signed in London on December 1, in which the World War I Western European Allied powers and the new states of central and Eastern Europe sought to secure the post-war territorial... This article is about the Treaty of Versailles of June 28, 1919, which ended World War I. For other uses, see Treaty of Versailles (disambiguation) . The Treaty of Versailles (1919) was a peace treaty that officially ended World War I between the Allied and Associated Powers and Germany. ...

The Stresa Front takes its name from the Stresa Conference in Italy, where it was negotiated. Benito Mussolini, the Italian fascist leader, was able to cut a dashing figure by arriving at the conference via speedboat. Mussolini redirects here. ... Categories: Stub | Boat types ...

The Stresa Front was triggered by Germany's declaration of its intention to build up an air force, to increase the size of its army to 36 divisions, (400,000 men - four times the army allowed by Versailles) and to introduce conscription, in March 1935. For a particular Air Force, see List of air forces. ... For other uses, see Army (disambiguation). ...

The Stresa Front could be seen as a failure due to its vague terms and the fact that it wasn't clear what its aims were and how they should be upheld. This was designed to be vague and it ignored all references to Germany as Britain was adopting a dual policy. The tough hard line was provided by Mussolini, while Britain 'kept the door open' with Germany in order to obtain agreements. The Front omitted any references to Germany as not to antagonise Hitler and end Anglo-German negotiations. This fact could make the Stresa Front be seen as a mild success.^{[citation needed]} Hitler had used tactics that made Britain and France guess at what his next move would be. However, because of the vague terms, it kept Hitler guessing at what Britain would do. However Britain didn't realize the advantage it had over Germany and this was lost with the signing of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement. The Anglo-German Naval Agreement (AGNA), was signed between United Kingdom and Germany in of June 18, 1935. ...

Another reason for its failure was that neither Britain, France or Italy wanted to invade Germany and the only real way in which German rearmament could be ceased was by a full scale invasion of Germany. However the British government was loathe to go with this option as they perceived that the British public opinion was that of anti-war sentiment.

The Front was not successful. Within two months the UK had signed the Anglo-German Naval Agreement, by which Germany was given the green light to increase the size of its navy to no more than 35% (by tonnage) of the Royal Navy and to build submarines. The UK had not discussed this with its Stresa partners and the front was seriously damaged. This highlighted the fact that the countries that made up the Stresa Front were pulling in different directions, and weakened the front. It collapsed completely with Italy's invasion of Abyssinia. The Anglo-German Naval Agreement (AGNA), was signed between United Kingdom and Germany in of June 18, 1935. ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... USS Los Angeles A submarine is a specialized watercraft that can operate underwater. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

Mussolini had ambitions of controlling Abyssinia for a long time and it was a well known fact. When Britain signed the Anglo-German Naval Agreement it ended the Stresa Front as it enraged Mussolini. This was because Britain had signed the agreement without first informing him. Mussolini had held back on his invasion plans as Abyssinia bordered French and British Somaliland and he didn't want to anger his allies. However he saw that Britain had betrayed him and it removed all doubts about the invasion. He also believed that such a move ended the conditions that were agreed in the Stresa Front.

On January 6, 1936, Mussolini told German ambassador Ulrich von Hassell that he would not object to Germany taking Austria as a satellite state so long as it maintained independence. Later, on the 22 February, Mussolini gave clearance for Hitler's remilitarization of the Rhineland, stating that Italy would not honor the obligations of the Locarno Treaty should Germany take such action.^[1] is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Ambassador (disambiguation). ... Ulrich von Hassell (born 12 November 1881 in Anklam; died 8 September 1944 in Berlin (executed) was a German diplomat and an opponent of the Third Reich involved in the July 20 plot. ... is the 53rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Remilitarization of the Rhineland by the German Army took place on 7 March 1936 when German forces entered the Rhineland. ... The Locarno Treaties were seven agreements negotiated at Locarno, Switzerland on 5–16 October 1925 and formally signed in London on December 1, in which the World War I western European Allied powers and the new states of central and eastern Europe sought to secure the post-war territorial settlement...

References

1. ^ Peter Neville. Mussolini, pg. 135