General, sporting, and business news for Malta and the surrounding region http://www.timesofmalta.com/ http://www.timesofmalta.com/img/tom_new_logo_small.png http://www.timesofmalta.com/ en Sun, 16 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0200 http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130617/life-features/How-the-Mediterranean-became-a-theatre-of-war.474246

The Mediterranean is a sea of tension and conflict. Different global and regional players sought to have a foothold in the area over the years in order to protect their various interests. Malta has often found itself (often reluctantly) in the midst of such conflicts. In 1928, the Fascist regime in Italy strengthened Sicily with a larger presence of the Regia Aeronautica. Italy adopted a more aggressive foreign policy and strove for the creation of its own empire. The British, who up until that point were Italy’s allies, felt that these developments could threaten their imperial interests. In 1935, the Imperial Government transferred the Mediterranean fleet from Malta to Alexandria. Tensions between Britain and Italy were rife following the Abyssinian crisis. Moreover, Britain became wary of Italy’s overtures to the Third Reich at a time of intense Anglo-German rivalry. The transfer of the Med-iterranean fleet did not diminish Malta’s strategic value. The Mediterranean was still a major route for merchant ships, warships and vessels transporting fuel for military and civilian purposes, and Malta was one of the major ports of call. On the strategic side, the Dockyard remained an... ]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:01:00 +0200 http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130617/life-features/How-the-Mediterranean-became-a-theatre-of-war.474246