The intervention crisis

Question 1

What did Italy’s declaration of neutrality do in 1914?

Answer 1

Italy’s declaration of neutrality in 1914 split the opinion of the liberals in parliament and set off a political crisis concerning Italy’s possible intervention in the war

Question 2

What did Antonio Salandra argue? Why?

Answer 2

Antonio Salandra argued that Italy should join the war, fearing that Germany and Austro-Hungary won they would not be sympathetic to an ally who failed to come to their side at this critical time

Question 3

On the other hand…

Answer 3

if Britain and France were victorious and Italy hadn’t assisted them in their efforts they wouldn’t be open to discussing Italy’s ambitions in the Mediterranean

Question 4

What did Antonio Salandra believe the war could provide?

Answer 4

Antonio Salandra also believed that the unique situation provided by the war would enable him to introduce more repressive legislation, which would offer an authoritarian solution to Italy’s political problems.

Question 5

What if Italy was victorious?

Answer 5

If Italy was victorious then it would be difficult to change Antonio Salandra’s policies

Question 6

Who began secret negotiations in 1915 and with who?

Answer 6

At the start of 1915, Antonio Salandra and his foreign minister, Sidney Sonnino, began secret negotiations with the British, French, German and Austrian governments

Question 7

Who offered the best deal? What did they promise?

Answer 7

The Entente offered the best deal, promising that with victory Italy would gain much of the irredente lands - South Tyrol, Trentino, Istria, Trieste and much of Dalmatia

Question 8

When was the Treaty of London signed?

Answer 8

The Treaty of London was signed on 26th April 1915

Question 9

What did Italy pledge?

Answer 9

Italy pledged to support Britain, France and Russia

Question 10

What did the news of the treaty cause?

Answer 10

News of the treaty caused significant unrest in Italy

Question 11

How had the signing of the treaty been conducted?

Answer 11

It had been conducted in absolute secrecy by Antonio Salandra and Sidney Sonnino

Question 12

Who hadn’t even been informed about the singing of the treaty?

Answer 12

Even the army general staff hadn’t been informed

Question 13

Who were against intervention?

Answer 13

The PSI was firmly against intervention, as were most Catholics, including the pope, Benedict XV

Question 14

What were the prefects (what are prefects?) asked to report in April 1915?

Answer 14

In April 1915, the politicians who had won Italy’s local elections, known as prefects, were asked to report on public opinion

Question 15

What did the prefects find?

Answer 15

The prefects found that an overwhelming majority of Italians in the provinces feared war and had little concern for irredentism or war against Austria

Question 16

What caused the intervention crisis to grow considerably in early May 1915?

Answer 16

In early May 1915, the crisis of Italy’s possible intervention in the First World War grew considerably when Giolitti denounced the Treaty of London and 300 deputies announced their opposition to Antonio Salandra’s decision

Question 17

What did the people who backed neutrality called for? Why was this not possible?

Answer 17

Those backing neutrality called on GIolitti to become PM again, but parliament was hopelessly divided

Question 18

What did the interventionists do?

Answer 18

Massive crowds of supporters for the war held rallies in the streets where those backing neutrality were declared traitors

Question 19

What was Mussolini expelled from? Why?

Answer 19

Mussolini, who believed that entry into the First World War was the best chance of creating revolution in Italy, was expelled from the socialist party for promoting intervention

Question 20

What did Antonio Salandra do?

Answer 20

Antonio Salandra resigned

Question 21

What did King Victor Emmanuel III do?

Answer 21

King Victor Emmanuel III asked Giolitti to form a new government

Question 22

What was King Victor Emmanuel III worried about?

Answer 22

King Victor Emmanuel III was worried by the fact that going back on the Treaty of London of London was now impossible

Question 23

What did King Victor Emmanuel III tell Giolitti?

Answer 23

King Victor Emmanuel III told Giolitti that he felt committed to the Treaty of London and might abdicate if it were not honoured

Question 24

What did Giolitti do? Why?

Answer 24

Giolitti declined the offer to become PM as, given his previous position, he felt that the couldn’t support the treaty, but at the same time he certainly didn’t want to risk overthrowing the king

Question 25

What did King Victor Emmanuel III do after Giolitti’s resigation?

Answer 25

King Victor Emmanuel III turned to Antonio Salandra

Question 26

Antonio Salandra was…

Answer 26

reinstated as PM on 16th May 1915 and on 20th May 1915 was granted emergency powers by parliament

Question 27

What did Italy do on the 25th May 1915?

Answer 27

On 25th May 1915, Italy formally declared war on Austria

Question 28

Italy formally declared war on Austria with Antonio Salandra proclaiming what?

Answer 28

With Antonio Salandra proclaiming that only through national unity could Italy claim victory against its enemies

Question 29

Why did Italy enter the war?

Answer 29

Italy’s entry into the war had been predominantly due to both foreign and domestic political reasons and had little to do with the interventionist protests going on at the time

Question 30

How would this (that the government had been forced into the First World War by the interventionists) myth play a strong role later on?

Answer 30

The myth that the government had been forced into the First World War by the interventionists would later play a strong role in Mussolini’s campaign after 1918

Question 31

What did Antonio Salandra hope the war would do?

Answer 31

Antonio Salandra had hoped that the war would bring the Italian nation together and unite them in a heroic cause

Question 32

Why was this (hope to unite the nation through war) unsuccessful?

Answer 32

The majority of Italians still opposed intervention even before a shot was fired, the debate over Italy’s entry into the war had caused troubling divisions

Question 33

What did the PSI do?

Answer 33

The PSI had voted against Antonio Salandra’s emergency powers

Question 34

What was the PSI at the time of Italy’s entry in to the First World War?

Answer 34

At the time of Italy’s entry into the First World War the PSI was the only far left wing party in Europe not to support their country’s entry into the conflict