We are used to seeing that Italy and Germany (as well as Japan) were allied against the Allies during the Second World War, albeit, with Germany as the dominant partner in Europe. However, this was not always the case.
During the early 1930's Mussolini had a great distrust of Hitler and the Nazis. In fact, it was not always clearly cut that these two nations would become allies, in spite on their political similarities; Italy had close links with the UK and France, having been allied with them against Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the First World War.
After the First World War and the rise of the Nazi party in Germany, Italy came to see Austria as a buffer state between the two countries. Diplomatic relations between Italy and Germany fluctuated between Hitler declaring an admiration of Mussolini and a possible military pact between the two countries to Mussolini opposing any form of German-Austrian union.
Diplomatic relations broke down on 25th June 1934. Hitler and Mussolini had met several weeks before in Venice where Hitler had promised to respect Austrian independence for the time being. Mussolini blamed Hitler personally for breaking this promise when Austrian Engelbert Dollfuss, Chancellor of Austria, was assassinated by members of the Austrian Nazi party.
Italian rapidly deployed several army divisions and air squadrons to the Brenner Pass on the border with Austria and warned Germany that any attempt to send German military units into Austria would result in a declaration of war. Italy signed a pact with France to protect Austrian independence and discussions were made between the military of both counties on a possible war against Germany.
Hitler panicked and denied all responsibility for the assassination and dissolved any links between the German and Austrian Nazi parties. Eventually, diplomatic relations were restored and Mussolini changed his views on Germany, especially after German support of his war in Ethiopia.
How different things would have been...
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