Luigi Federzoni emphasized the need to join the war and warned of continued disunity if it did not: Italy has awaited this since 1866 her truly national war, in order to feel unified at last, renewed by the unanimous action and identical sacrifice of all her sons. ", Historiography of the causes of World War I, International relations of the Great Powers (1814–1919), Military history of Italy during World War I, Revolutions of 1848 in the Italian states, Museum of the Risorgimento (Castelfidardo), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Italian_entry_into_World_War_I&oldid=976278349, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Carteny, Andrea. However, a strong sentiment existed within the general population and political factions to go to war against Austria-Hungary, Italy’s historical enemy. [19], There was no good reason for Italy to risk the horrors and expenses of war — it joined it for new territories that would make the government look good and dissolve the intense internal disharmony. Freemasons took on the challenge of mobilizing the press, public opinion, and the leading political parties in support of Italy's joining the war as an ally of France and Great Britain. Berlin pressured Vienna to make more territorial concessions to Rome, but it was too little, too late as Sonnino turned to the Allies. Moreover, the Triple Alliance recognized that both Italy and Austria-Hungary were interested in the Balkans and required both to consult each other before chan… Its treaty obligations did not require it to join with Germany and Austria, and it saw very little to gain from doing so. The record states that Zanussi served with good conduct and faithful service. They were more than willing to promise large territorial spoils taken from Austria and Turkey. Italy declared war a month later and invaded Austria from the south. The Treaty of London was signed on 26 April 1915 and Italy declared war against Austria-Hungary on 23 May 1915. Why did Italy do this? Italy, Austria and Serbia were all contending for control of Albania. “In honor of those who served in the world war. The service record illustrated is for Antonio Zanussi, who served in the 2nd Engineers. In December 1914 Sonnino opened negotiations in Vienna, asking for territorial compensation in return for remaining neutral. Regular Hours Richard F. Hamilton and Holger H. Herwig, William A. Renzi, "Italy's neutrality and entrance into the Great War: a re-examination. Moreover, the Triple Alliance recognized that both Italy and Austria-Hungary were interested in the Balkans and required both to consult each other before changing the status quo and to provide compensation for whatever advantage in that area: Austria-Hungary did consult Germany but not Italy before issuing the ultimatum to Serbia, and refused any compensation before the end of the war. And if there were good reasons to join the Allies why did it ally itself with Germany and Austria in the first place? 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Summer Hours The Italian treasury could not fund a war, but again there were promises of money and munitions from London and Paris. A monthly newsletter on events and activities. ", C.J. [16] Mussolini argued that it was in the interests of all socialists to join the war to tear down the aristocratic Hohenzollern dynasty of Germany because it was the enemy of all European workers. Tuesday - Sunday Italy and Greece were also in open rivalry over the desire to occupy Albania. Under the Peace Treaties of Saint-Germain, Rapallo and Rome, Italy gained a permanent seat in the League of Nations's executive council and obtained most of the promised territories, but not Dalmatia (except Zara), allowing nationalists to redefine the result as a "Mutilated victory"; that angry sentiment helped to the rise of the fascist dictatorship of Benito Mussolini in 1922.[4]. Italy and Austria-Hungary had canonically be considered foes since 1832, and this tension showed in the August of 1914 when the Italian Government refused to enter the war alongside Austria-Hungary, and politicians began to consider the advantages of backing the Allies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Italy_during_World_War_I A handful of leaders made the basic decisions, notably Prime Minister Antonio Salandra and especially the two foreign ministers Antonio di San Giuliano and Sidney Sonnino. Rome refused to make a commitment, and there was a pause when Foreign Minister San Giuliano died in October. Daily, Memorial Day - Labor Day London and Paris insisted and Russia, by April 1915, abandoned its support for most of Serbia's claims and accepted terms for Italy's entry into the war, which would limit the Russian strategic presence in the postwar Adriatic. Italy joined World War II as an ally of Germany in 1940, at the behest of its fascist prime minister, Benito Mussolini, which greatly expanded the geographical scope of the war. Public opinion was divided and Sonnino used that to mislead the cabinet. However, only two days later the strike was officially called off, though the civil strife continued. After the formation of the government of Prime Minister Salandra in March 1914, the government attempted to win the support of nationalists and moved to the political right.[12]. Unlimited admission to the Museum and Memorial for only $55 a year. The King had nominal power over war and peace, but he had severe psychiatric problems in 1914, and in any case he turned over all major issues to his cabinet. He ignored the poor state of the Italian military, expecting that Britain and France would do all the fighting that was necessary. Lowe, "Britain and Italian Intervention 1914-1915. "[7], From the standpoint of its erstwhile allies, Italy's recent success in occupying Libya as a result of the Italo-Turkish War had sparked tension with its Triple Alliance allies, who had been seeking closer relations with the Ottoman Empire. "The Russian Foreign Office and Italy’s Entrance Into the Great War, 1914‐1915: A Study In Wartime Diplomacy. The Triple Alliance was reduced to an alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary and Europe no longer seemed quite as finely balanced into two opposing camps as it had at the outbreak of war. ", Stevenson, David. WW1 , called the Great War , 1914–1918.