Previous tensions exacerbated during the war Flashcards
What were conditions like in the war?
horrific, thousands of Italian soldiers killed be cholera and frostbite
How many soldiers died in 1915 and why?
62,000 during four attempted offensives that failed to change the situation at the front
How many Italians conscripted into the war?
nearly 5 million men, many being agricultural workers and peasants
How many Italians court martialled for dissertation?
29,000
What was the solutions of Cardona?
harsh punishments to discipline - 4,000 death sentence
What happened in the 1916 Strafexpedition?
severe impact on army and public morale, Salandra forced to reign
Describe battle of Caporetto
- October 1917
- 200,000 lost contact
- 40,000 went back home
- 10,000 killed
What did the battle of Caporetto bring back?
- reignited divisions during the intervention crisis of 1914-15
- parliament still backed Giolitti
Who became PM after Salandra?
Orlando
Evidence of success under General Diaz?
casualty rates fell from 520,000 in 1917 to 143,000 in 1918
What did the PSI position on the war mean?
greater political polarisation
What was Italy like in comparison to Austria in the beginning of the war?
- behind Austria
- Italy produce 1 million Tonne of steel whereas Austria 2.6 million tonne
Evidence of economic improvement during the war?
- Fiat established itself as Europe’s leading truck manufacturer (25,000 1918)
- produced 20,000 machine guns + 7,000 artillery (more than British)
Evidence of rapid industrial growth
- Fiat increase workforce to 30,000
How much was the government in debt of at the end of the war?
2.9 billion lira
Why did the workers resent the war?
- Industrial area in north (increase divide as North’s economy grew over 20% between 1911-21)
- fall in wages by 25%
Describe food consumption in 1917
- bread and pasta rationed
- meat and sugar consumption fall
