Mussolini goes for Liberia too

[Melvin Loh]

(inspired by the thread on Ethiopia vs Italy 1935)
Is there any way that fascist Italy could've tried to conquer Liberia in the mid-1930s, given that this American quasi-colony was the only other independent country in Africa not claimed by any European power ? Or would the US, with the Firestone ruber plantation interests, have stepped in ?

 

[Shadow Knight]

(inspired by the thread on Ethiopia vs Italy 1935)
Is there any way that fascist Italy could've tried to conquer Liberia in the mid-1930s, given that this American quasi-colony was the only other independent country in Africa not claimed by any European power ? Or would the US, with the Firestone ruber plantation interests, have stepped in ?

Italy would get bitch slapped by the US...well at least a trade embargo which would kill the Italians economy (IIRC Italy traded a lot with the US at the time).

 

[Prinz Richard Eugen]

Abyssina was next to Italian Somaliland and Eritrea, two Italian colonies and avenues for invasion. There is no Italian colonies next to Liberia, making an attack much more difficult. I suppose you could send troops by sea, but supply would be a problem. I don't beleive Liberia had any close ties to the US in the 1930's. Most of the work of sending freed slaves and setting up a government had been done by religious groups.

Don't forget Italy wanted revenge for Adowa,too.

 

[David S Poepoe]

I think it would take a few years since Italy would have to figure out being able to project its power beyond the Straits of Gibralter. I can probably suspect that the French and British could give him a cold shoulder on aid.

 

[nunya]

Italys military wasnt all that advanced,they didnt have the power projection capacity to attack beyond the Mediterraean.Still,if they could do it and did,Im not sure what the US reaction would be.It isnt vital to US interests,if the government is strongly isolationist and doesnt want to go to war with the whole Axis at the time(which a military response on the part of the US would entail)it may just go into negotiations and give it up.On the other hand,if it decides it needs to save face and cant let Italy get away with invading US territory unprovoked,it will counterattack.If it does,I think the US will win pretty quick.After that,you may end up with an early US entry into war with Germany and Japan as well.This is a pretty cool POD,I wish somebody else had thought of this beforehand.