Hoare-Laval+Pact

DEFINITION: Plan formulated by French and British foreign ministers to settle the Abyssinia crisis and to avoid losing Italy as an ally against Hitler.

SIGNIFICANCE: In the end the pact failed for various reasons; not only did Mussolini refuse to accept only a part of Abyssinia, but the plan was leaked to the press, the public was not supportive of the plan, especially amongst the British. Eventually Samuel Hoare (GB Foreign Secretary) and Pierre Laval (French PM) resigned from their positions and the Italian invasion continued.