What was the impact of the First World War on Italy, 1915-18? pages 86-881

• History
• Secondary Education

Text

Central Powers/Central Empires

• One of the two main coalitions in WWI
• The German Empire, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria.
• Also known as the Quadruple Alliance.

page 86

When WWI broke out, Italy remained neutral. However, some right-wing Italian politicians wanted Italy to join the Triple Entente in order to get the Italian-speaking territories of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

April 1915

Prime Minister Antonio Salandra supported this wish and signed the Treaty of London with Britain, France and Russia.

Italy was now fighting in WWI on the side of the the Triple Entente (the Allies). The Allies' had promised Italy that in the case of a defeat by the Central Powers Italy would be given a part of Austria and the Ottoman Empire.

Pro-intervention (involvement) in WWI

• Victor Emmanuel III backed the Treaty of London

• Nationalists and Futurists

• Some on the Left supported the war: to destroy Liberal Italy
  

Anti-intervention in WWI

• Some members of the Italian Socialist Party (Italian: Partito Socialista Italiano, PSI): they saw the war as an ''imperialist's war''
  
• Mussolini was initially against the war but then changed sides. He was expelled from the PSI.
  

Pro-intervention (involvement) in WWI

• fasci di azione rivoluzionaria (revolutionary action groups) were set by the Left
  

Anti-intervention in WWI

• Giovanni Giolittoi, other liberals and most of the Chamber of Deputies
  
• The Catholic Church
  

The impact of WWI

• Italy fought the Austrians and Germany in Northern Italy

• October 1917: Battle of Caporetto: Italy was defeated
• October 1918: Battle of Vittorion Veneto: against the Austrians, Italy won
• Led to political division, increased membership of trade unions and the PSI
  

Works cited

https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/wwi-timeline-b28ad1d8-8ed1-4c8f-aeb6-4e1eff7c5630. Accessed 17.11.22

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Salandra. Accessed 17.11.22

Thomas, Joanna. The Move to Global War - IB History Course Book : Oxford IB Diploma Program. Oxford University Press, 2015.
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