Italian Neutrality Reward

As I understand it Italy was offerred territories such as Djibouti and the Aouzou Strip in return for neutrality in WWII. My question is what the maximum amount of territory Italy could gain from neutrality is? Also would they get more if they gave up claims to France (Nice, Savoy, Corsica)?
 
As I understand it Italy was offerred territories such as Djibouti and the Aouzou Strip in return for neutrality in WWII. My question is what the maximum amount of territory Italy could gain from neutrality is? Also would they get more if they gave up claims to France (Nice, Savoy, Corsica)?

The territory you mentioned plus favorable terms for Suez and Italian as an official language in Malta. Depending on the general situation and how 'desperate' are the Allies even free hand in Yugoslavia and if the diplomatic cards are played right some minor concession in Greece
 
Djbouti is quite interesting: the terminal of the Addis Ababa railway and a good harbor, can play a significant role in the development of Italian East Africa. British Somaliland is less attractive, but completes the "set".

I do believe that the only other reasonable request might be a free hand in Yugoslavia, not so much to annex the country (God forbid!) but rather to assist its devolution into the original components (Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, maybe even a Bosnia). I believe that Italy would be satisfied with adjustments on the Slovenian border, and gains in Dalmatia and in Kosovo (the former to satisfy Italian nationalism, the latter Albanian nationalism).

It would certainly be more rewarding if Italian requests were based on sound economic considerations (wouldn't be it a miracle?): a preferred status for transit across Suez (important to develop AOI), a participation in the IPC and/or AIOC (oil is the great weakness of Italy), coal and iron supplies at preferred rates. I don't think it would be a set of absurd requests, and their benefits would be enormous.
 
Was Tunisia ever in the cards? The Italians have been wanting to have a grab at Tunisia since the latter half of the nineteenth century and it has a significant Italian Tunisian community; I would be surprised if the Allies didn't offer Tunisia to Mussolini in exchange for neutrality.
 
What are the odds that the Allies would have reneged on all of these promises once the war was over?
 
Very high.
But even so for Italy was better accept the offer.

Agreed on that, but the 1915 Pact of London should have taught something.
That's the reason I'd have gone for shares in the IPC and the Compagnie de Suez, rather than for anachronistic imperial dreams. The only reasonably useful piece of real estate on the table (Djibouti) can be transferred immediately.
 
1915 pact coming back to bite the british.

if the italians are intersted they'd want all primissed things now, and not later. makes it less likely that someone changes their mind after the war.
 
I dug up this old article in the New York Times with my university's database regarding French-Italian negotiations. The meat of the article says "...the French Ambassador...is reported to have brought proposals from the French Government to grant to Italy a ninety-year Lease of the port of Jibuti, French Somaliland; a large block of Suez Canal shares and further concessions in Tunisia."

That seems to settle the question of whether or not Tunisia was on the table. Unfortunately, it's very vague. I'll see what else I can find.


Citation:
By Telephone to THE NEW,YORK TIMES. (1939, Dec 20). France said to offer italy 90-year lease of jibuti. New York Times (1923-Current File). Retrieved from http://marywood1.marywood.edu:2048/docview/102930685?accountid=12300
 
I think Malta is out of the question for Italy, but I can see the British turning a blind eye on Yugoslavia and Greece in exchange for Italian neutrality.

Some things I think that the Allies could give up, and it would still be plausible:

-Somaliland and Djibouti. It fits right in with Italy's dreams in East Africa. It gives Italy more prestige in Africa, a better port, and control over much of the Red Sea.
-Tunisia. If the French are desperate enough, they might give Italy Tunisia, or a significant portion of it to keep the Italians neutral.
-The British and French recognize the Balkans as a free area for the Italians to do with as they please.

If France still falls, I could see the French giving up Savoy and Nice to the Italians, rather than having it fall to the Germans.
 
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