On this day in history, March 18, 1940, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini met with German leader Adolf Hitler at the Brenner Pass, a mountain pass in the Alps on the border between Austria and Italy. During their meeting, Mussolini agreed to support Germany in the impending war in the West.
Italy had signed the "Pact of Steel" with Germany the previous year, which was a military alliance between the two countries. However, Mussolini was initially hesitant to enter the war, believing that Italy was not yet prepared for a major conflict.
However, Hitler managed to assure him that the war would be quick and easy. Moreover, it would also yield territorial gains for Italy. With this, Mussolini entered the war on Germany's side. Italy officially declared war on France and Britain in June 1940, but the decision proved to be a disastrous one for Mussolini and Italy, leading to military defeats and eventual downfall.
