Pact of Steel facts for kids
The Pact of Steel (which means Stahlpakt in German and Patto d'Acciaio in Italian) was a very important agreement signed on May 22, 1939. It was also formally called the Pact of Friendship and Alliance between Germany and Italy. This agreement was made between Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany.
The foreign ministers from each country signed the pact. Count Galeazzo Ciano signed for Italy, and Joachim von Ribbentrop signed for Germany. This agreement was a promise for these two nations to support each other, especially if a war started.
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What Was the Pact of Steel?
The Pact of Steel was a formal agreement between two powerful countries. It had two main parts. The first part was the official text. It stated that Germany and Italy would continue to help each other. This meant they would offer political and military support.
The second part was a "Secret Supplementary Protocol." In this secret section, both countries agreed to make their military and economic plans very similar. This showed how closely they intended to work together.
Why Was It Called the Pact of Steel?
The name "Pact of Steel" was chosen by the Italian leader, Benito Mussolini. He originally thought of calling it "the Pact of Blood." However, he believed that "Pact of Blood" might not be very popular in Italy. So, he changed the name to "Pact of Steel," which sounded strong and unbreakable.
Who Signed the Pact?
The Pact of Steel was signed by the top diplomats of each country. For Italy, it was Count Galeazzo Ciano, who was the foreign minister. For Germany, it was Joachim von Ribbentrop, who held the same role. Their signatures made the agreement official between their nations.
See also
- In Spanish: Pacto de Acero para niños
