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| 1939, Feb. 10 |
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| Pope Pius XI died with the reputation for firmness against any regime threatening religion. His successor, PIUS XII (Eugenio Pacelli), was elected pope on March 2. He had served for years as papal secretary of state and chief adviser to Pius XI and was generally recognized as a man of strong will, great astuteness, and diplomatic skill. He devoted himself at once to efforts for the pacification of Europe but introduced no basic change of policy. | 1 |
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| April 7 |
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| Italian invasion and conquest of Albania, which voted personal union with Italy (See 1939, April 7). | 2 |
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| May 22 |
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| Conclusion of a political and military alliance with Germany. The closest cooperation was now established, with much coming and going of military men and technical experts. | 3 |
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| Aug |
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| Conferences of Count Galeazzo Ciano with the German leaders were kept extremely secret, but were taken to presage the international crisis that broke on Aug. 20 (p (See Aug. 20–Sept. 1). Throughout Germany's dispute with Poland the Italian press strongly supported the German position, though Mussolini used his influence to effect a pacific solution. When the storm broke on Sept. 1–3, Italy surprised the world by maintaining neutrality. | 4 |
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