As Adolf Hitler labored to string together a diplomatic coalition opposed to Britain,

Mussolini strove to prove that Italy was something more than Germany's junior partner.

Welcome to the history of the 20th century.

Music to the history of the 20th century. Music Episode 335, Pay him in his own coin. In episode 328, we looked at the Battle of Britain,

the Air War in the skies of Great Britain, which began as an effort by the Luftwaffe to assert air supremacy over the island as a prelude to an invasion.

When it became clear that was impossible, the bombing continued anyway, now as an attempt to cow the

British into talking peace terms.

Last week, I told you about what else was going on at the same time.

Britain and Italy were fighting in Africa,

and Germany was pursuing diplomatic efforts in Eastern Europe

that brought Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia into the Axis Alliance

as signatories to the Tripartite Pact, which also included Japan.

But I have more to say about both topics, that is, German diplomacy and Italian military actions,

and that's what we'll be discussing today. First, the Germans. Foreign Minister Joachim von

Ribentrop had conceived a diplomatic strategy to create a continental bloc, a broad alliance of

European nations that would oppose Britain and help deter the United States from involvement in

the war.

Bringing the Eastern European nations of Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia into the Axis

Alliance was part of that strategy.

Ribbentrop hoped ultimately to include Spain, France, and perhaps even the Soviet Union

into his continental block.

Let's consider Spain. The Spanish Civil War ended in April 1939, just months before the Second

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