Allies' Promise To Italy: Austrian Land Post-Wwi

When World War I broke out in 1914, Italy was a partner in the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary, but it decided to remain neutral. However, there was a strong sentiment within Italy to go to war against Austria-Hungary, with whom they had a long history of conflict. Italy's primary goal was to annex territory along the frontier shared by the two countries, which would liberate Italian-speaking populations from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Italy negotiated the secret Pact of London with the Allies, who promised to support their annexation of the frontier lands in return for entering the war on their side. Italy's decision to join the Allies was largely based on the assurances they received in the Treaty of London, signed in April 1915, which promised them control over territory on their border with Austria-Hungary, as well as parts of Dalmatia and numerous islands along its Adriatic coast.

Italy's aims for entering WWI

Firstly, Italy sought to gain territory, particularly along its border with Austria-Hungary, stretching from the Trentino region in the Alps to Trieste on the Adriatic Sea. This annexation would "liberate" Italian-speaking populations from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and unite them with their cultural homeland. Additionally, Italy desired parts of Dalmatia and islands along the Austrian Adriatic coast, as well as territory from the Ottoman Empire.

Secondly, Italy's intervention in WWI is considered the Fourth Italian War of Independence, completing the unification of Italy that began with the First Italian War of Independence in 1848. After the Capture of Rome in 1870, almost all of Italy was united under the Kingdom of Italy, except for the so-called "irredent lands": Italian-speaking areas still belonging to Austria-Hungary, such as Julian March, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Dalmatia. The Italian irredentism movement aimed to reunify these lands with the motherland, and this goal aligned with the desire to gain territory from Austria-Hungary.

Finally, Italy faced internal instability and division in 1914, with political unrest and protests from both nationalist and anti-militarist groups. Italy's leaders, such as Prime Minister Antonio Salandra and Foreign Minister Sidney Sonnino, believed that joining the war would help resolve these internal conflicts by bringing glory to the victorious army and satisfying the popular sentiment of freeing Italian-speaking territories. They also saw opportunities for patronage and political victories.

In summary, Italy's primary aims for entering WWI were to gain territory from Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire, to complete national unity by reclaiming "irredent lands," and to resolve internal instability by achieving victory and glory on a unified national front.

The Pact of London

In the pact, Italy agreed to join the war on the side of the Entente powers, or the Allies, and in return, the Allies promised to support Italy's annexation of frontier lands from Austria-Hungary. These lands included Italian-speaking territories along the border between the two countries, stretching from the Trentino region in the Alps to Trieste on the Adriatic Sea. Additionally, Italy was promised parts of Dalmatia and islands along the Austrian-Hungarian coast, the Albanian port city of Vlore, a central protectorate in Albania, and territory from the Ottoman Empire.

Italy's decision to join the war was influenced by several factors. Firstly, there was a strong sentiment within Italy, both among the general population and political factions, to go to war against Austria-Hungary, Italy's historical enemy. Italy sought to "liberate" Italian-speaking populations from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and unite them with their cultural homeland. Secondly, Italy stood to gain territory and expand its influence in the region. Finally, Italy's leaders, including Prime Minister Antonio Salandra and Foreign Minister Sidney Sonnino, believed that joining the war would bring glory and help resolve internal conflicts within the country.

On May 3, 1915, Italy resigned from the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary, and on May 23, it officially declared war on Austria-Hungary, opening up a new front in World War I. Despite Italy's eventual victory and its recognition as one of the "'Big Four' top Allied powers", the country received only a portion of the promised territories, leading to resentment and the rise of Benito Mussolini's fascist movement.

Italy's gains after WWI

Italy's gains after World War I were significant, but fell short of what had been promised by the Allies. Italy had entered the war in 1915, joining the Triple Entente (the Allies) against the Central Powers, which included its former ally Austria-Hungary. The decision to switch sides was largely influenced by the promise of territorial gains, specifically the fulfilment of Italy's "irredentist" claims. These were lands with Italian-speaking populations that Italy sought to incorporate into its nation-state.

The Treaty of London, signed in April 1915, outlined the following territorial promises to Italy:

• Control of territory on its border with Austria-Hungary, including Trentino, South Tyrol, and Trieste.
• Parts of Dalmatia and numerous islands along the Austrian-Hungarian Adriatic coast.
• The Albanian port city of Vlore and a central protectorate in Albania.
• Territory from the Ottoman Empire.

After the war, Italy did gain control of the Tyrol and a permanent seat on the newly formed League of Nations. However, it received barely half of the European territories promised by the Allies, and none from the Ottoman Empire. This led to widespread dissatisfaction and anger among Italian nationalists, who labelled the outcome a "Mutilated victory". The sense of betrayal contributed to the rise of Benito Mussolini and his fascist movement in the years following the war.

Italy's relations with Austria-Hungary

One of Italy's primary goals was to annex territory along the frontier shared by the two countries, stretching from the Trentino region in the Alps to Trieste on the northern Adriatic Sea. This would "liberate" Italian-speaking populations from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and unite them with their cultural homeland. Italy began aligning itself with the Entente powers, France and Great Britain, who promised to support Italy's annexation of these frontier lands in return for entering the war on their side.

On April 26, 1915, Italy negotiated the secret Pact of London, agreeing to join the war in exchange for territorial gains. On May 3, Italy officially resigned from the Triple Alliance, and on May 23, it declared war on Austria-Hungary. Italy's entry into the war opened up a new front and was of significant strategic importance. The Italian army faced stiff resistance from Austro-Hungarian troops, and the mountainous terrain made offensive operations difficult. Despite this, Italy was able to make some initial advances, and a series of bloody battles were fought along the border, resulting in heavy losses on both sides.

In summary, Italy's relations with Austria-Hungary were strained due to competing interests and historical enmity. Italy's decision to enter World War I on the side of the Allies was largely motivated by the promise of territorial gains at the expense of Austria-Hungary, including control over Italian-speaking territories. This decision had significant consequences for the course of the war and the eventual peace negotiations.

Italy's relations with Germany

Italy's relationship with Germany was largely defined by their shared alliance with Austria-Hungary, with whom Italy had a long history of conflict. Italy had fought three wars with Austria-Hungary in the 34 years before the signing of the first treaty, and Italian irredentists saw the Italian-populated districts in the Trentino and Istria as occupied territories. Despite this, Italy joined the Triple Alliance with Austria-Hungary and Germany in 1882, which was renewed periodically until it expired in 1915 during World War I.

The Triple Alliance was a defensive pact, with each member promising mutual support in the event of an attack by any other great power. Specifically, Germany and Austria-Hungary were to assist Italy if it was attacked by France without provocation, and Italy would assist Germany if attacked by France. In the event of a war between Austria-Hungary and Russia, Italy promised to remain neutral.

When World War I broke out in 1914, Italy declared itself neutral, considering Austria-Hungary the aggressor and citing the defensive nature of the Triple Alliance. Italy also defaulted on its obligation to consult and agree on compensations before changing the status quo in the Balkans. Italy's decision to remain neutral was also influenced by the fact that it was very poorly prepared for war, with a small army that was not well-trained, and a lack of industrial and financial resources.

During the pre-war years, Italy started to align itself closer to the Entente powers, France and Great Britain, for military and economic support. On April 26, 1915, Italy negotiated the secret Pact of London, by which Great Britain and France promised to support Italy in annexing the frontier lands in return for entering the war on the Entente side. On May 3, Italy resigned from the Triple Alliance and later declared war against Austria-Hungary on May 23, 1915.

Germany exerted increasing pressure on Austria-Hungary to give in to Italian demands, hoping that concessions would prevent Italy from entering the war. However, Italy's entry into the war on the side of the Triple Entente was ultimately motivated by the promise of substantial territorial gains at the expense of Austria-Hungary, including control of territory on its border with Austria-Hungary stretching from Trentino through South Tyrol to Trieste.

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