Progress towards unity by 1861 could not have happened without the extent and the nature of support by foreign powers. How far do you agree with this statement?

Question 1

Progress towards unity by 1861 could not have happened without the extent and the nature of support by foreign powers. How far do you agree with this statement?

Answer 1

Progress towards unity by 1861 could not have happened without the extent and the nature of support by foreign powers. How far do you agree with this statement?

Question 2

Factor 1- Foreign powers / Napoleon III

Answer 2

IMPORTANT THROUGHOUT
Facts-
Pact of Plombieres July 21st 1858- secret meeting between Cavour and Napoleon agreeing that France would support a war between Austrian and Piedmont if Austria were the aggressor,
-Rome remained under pope control, but house of savoy would rule kingdom of upper italy
- France provided 200000 soliders if Victor Emmanuel could raise 100,000 of his own (foreign protection) in return for nice and savoy (compromises made for Italian safety)
Second war of Italian independence and treaty of Villafranca: Louis Napoleons men fought most of the war, with casualties of 17,000 compared to Austrias 21,000 at solferino, allowing Piedmont dominance over Austria for the first time
-Napoleon was given Lombardy by Austria, who ceded it to Italy, unifying north and furthering course of unity
-National societies ability to control central duchies during political instability (turning them into effectively Piedmont colonies) not possible without France removing Austria
GBs role: Earl russel and Lord Palmerston supported Italians in being control of their own future (self determination)
-their gunboats in the south also supported Garibaldi crossing into Naples in 1860, which effectively helped unify the south

Explanation- heavy military reliance on foreign powers by italy, who arguable were in no position to defend themselves from an Austrian attack. earlier French investment by Rothschild etc into cenis tunnel allowed quick protection of italy by France, exclusion of Cavour from treaty of V suggests they still aren’t considered out and out ‘great power’ yet.

Question 3

Nationalism/ Garibaldi

Answer 3

LONGER TERM IMPORTANCE
Facts
-Garibaldi: popular militaristic leader and devote nationalist hero contributed to geographical unity in 1860 on his quest to take over the south, which was largely ignored by VE because of how poor and corrupt it was with mafia.
- May 1860- him and ‘the thousand’ travel south to Sicily, where they enlist mafia help to defeat 20,000 and make a name for themselves as nationalist heroes. crossed into Naples with the aid of British gunboats with an army of 60,000, conquering the south peninsula. To complete legal geographical unification by 1861, he marched north and met VE in October 1860, handing over him the south and calling him king.

National society- formed in 1857 by nationalist Piedmont exiles such as Manin, they stabilised politics in the central duchies when threatened leaders like Grand Duke Leopold in fled in 1859 from Florence. They distributed the newspaper ‘piccolo corriere d’italia’ in batches of 3000 to spread the message of unity, transforming it into a fashionable and well accepted idea (however only among middle classes)

explanation- both were vital in providing the legal Italy (geographically unified italy) by 1861, as Garibaldi was the first to involve the south who were previously ignored, and much of the geographical unity came about though National society organised plebiscites, HOWEVER this was all made possible by foreign powers who ridded the central duchies of Austrian influence in the second war of independence, and GB helped Garibaldi and his 60,000 cross into Sicily.

Question 4

Cavour

Answer 4

SHORT TERM IMPORTANCE-

• Congress of Paris 1856: Cavour’s involvement in the Crimean war in 1855 by providing 15,000 troops to France and GB gained their respect and were indebted to Piedmont, which prompted them to involve Piedmont at the Paris convention; a sign that they had been recognised as a ‘great power’ for the first time. Italia question was at the forefront of discussion in Europe.
• Economic reforms: Cavour’s policies modernised the piedmont economy to new extents, using French invests, clever as France therefore have invested interest and want to protect their assets. Used money from Lafiette and Rothschild, money went towards Mount cenis tunnel, modernising port of Genoa (as well as first steam ship made, the Sicila) trade increased 300% in value due to rail links between Turin, Milan, France, free trade agreements with GB, Belgium, France forged further international relationships. THEY WERE PREPARED TO COMPROMISE WITH DEBT IN THE NAME OF UNITY WHEN THEY ANNEXED SMALLER STATES, Cavour’s diplomacy was vital in allowing foreign powers to function well in Italy, modernisation showed they were prepared and capable of developing, which furthered international status and foreign interest, allowing the North to unify first, and eventually the south

Question 5

Judgement/line of argument

Answer 5

The role of foreign powers was the most important because it allowed such great diplomatic and infrastructural developments in Piedmont, which made it the focal point for unity. Although the national society combined with Garibaldis work was able to complete the geographical unification by 1861, and Cavour’s economic and political policies in the short term Brought unification to the forefront of European politics, foreign powers were instrumental militarily, politically and economically throughout the whole period, catalysing the speed of Italian unification