Dino Grandi combined service to Mussolini's government with a strong conception of Italian national interests. Grandi later backed the motion that removed Mussolini in 1943. His diplomacy helped keep Italy and France outside several limitations, including parts of the submarine settlement, because France would not accept restrictions that Italy escaped. Italy wanted recognition as a dominant Mediterranean power but lacked the infrastructure to build battleships, cruisers, and carriers simultaneously. Geography deepened that bottleneck: population and industry were concentrated in the northern plains, while the mountainous peninsula demanded transport investment that Mussolini's showpiece projects did not reliably deliver. British politicians could concede nominal freedoms partly because they doubted Italy could exploit them quickly, while the Royal Navy expected visible warning if Italian construction accelerated.
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Dino Grandi protects Italian freedom of action
Italy's foreign minister won important exceptions while pursuing Mediterranean status within Italy's severe industrial and financial limits.