WW1 Flashcards
1
Q
Why did Italy not have to join Austria in Aug 1914 when war broke out?
A
- Austria had not consulted w/ Italy before declaring war on Serbia so treaty obligations did not apply
- Giolitti announced Italy would remain neutral
2
Q
What was the PM’s belief about entering the war and what were the alternatives?
A
- Salandra wanted to join the war, as if Germany and Austro-Hungary won, they would not forgive Italy who did not help them
- However if Britain and France won and Italy chose not to help them, they would not be open to discussing Italy’s wishes in the Mediterranean
- The war also allowed for Salandra to introduce more repressive legislation to control the political problems in Italy
3
Q
Reasons for supporting neutrality:
A
- Allying w/ GER + A-H disliked by many –> betraying Italy’s patriotic ambitions, trade would be wrecked as GBR supplied coal, cultural sympathies for FRA
- Better economically and militarily –> economy too weak, economic gains possible even w/out intervention, army busy in Libya (not large enough/equipped)
- RCC did not want war w/ Catholic Austria + most who supported political parties did not care for territorial gains
4
Q
Initially what was the support for intervention like and what were their reasons for supporting this?
A
- Small but vocal nationalist minority
- Wanted Trieste + Trentino in Austria
5
Q
What did Salandra and his foreign minister Sidney Sonnino begin doing, how did this end and what was the initial reaction?
A
- They began secret negotiations w/ GBR + FRA, AUS + GER
- Triple Entente offered many of the irredente lands (eg. South Tyrol, Dalmatia, Istria) if Italy sided with them. Alliance was not willing to give Trieste/Trentino in Austria
- Italy signed Treaty of London on 26 Apr 1915 in full secrecy, extending Italian mainland by around 9,000 square miles
- PSI + most Catholics firmly against intervention (‘neither support nor sabotage’), as they feared war more than they wanted irredentism
- Mussolini was expelled from PSI for promoting intervention
6
Q
Popular support was moving towards intervention in May 1915. Why was this?
A
- Nationalist movement
- Press –> Nationalists had lot of influence on this esp allied propaganda, Mussolini gathered crowd of 30,000 in Milan supporting intervention + Gabriele D’Annunzio, a poet who gave pro-war charismatic speeches
- Police + military did not break up pro-intervention demonstrations when compared to intervention protests
7
Q
Why did Salandra resign and why was he reinstated in May 1915?
A
- Giolitti + 300 deputies expressed opposition to the decision. Those backing neutrality wanted Giolitti as PM again
- Salandra resigned and King asked Giolitti to take over, preferably without dishonouring the Treaty of London otherwise he would abdicate and both sides would hate on Italy
- Giolitti declined the offer to become PM again, as he felt he could not support the treaty and risk overthrowing the King
- Salandra was reinstated on 16 May and granted emergency powers on 20 May (PSI voted against this and were the only far left-wing party in Europe to not support their country’s intervention!)
8
Q
When did Italy formally declare war on Austria?
A
25 May 1915
9
Q
What was the fighting between Austria and Italy like?
A
- Conditions were horrific eg. Ice + snow of alpine terrains, cholera and frostbite
- In 1915, 62000 Italians died during 4 failed offensives against the Austrians
10
Q
What were the problems in the war?
A
- Unprepared for war –> best soldiers in Libya + shortage of arms
- Mobilisation was disorganised and gave Austria time to retreat defensively
- Cadorna pursued strategy of massed infantry attacks on entrenched positions eg. 62,000 men killed and 170,000 injured in first 2 advances
- Bitterness between peasant infantry soldiers and exempted industrial workers as 95% of casualties were in the infantry
- Low rations and treated poorly -> 3000 calories a day by 1916
- Paid poorly –> half a lira per day for infantrymen
- No newspapers or entertainment for soldiers –> forbidden to enter cinemas or bars even on leave
11
Q
What was conscription like and how did the soldiers feel about fighting?
A
- Nearly 5 mil men conscripted w/ maj peasants + agricultural workers
- Southern peasants were over represented and maj could not understand the dialects of the Northerns in charge
- The soldiers did not understand why they were dying over frozen wastelands w/ 290,000 were court-martialled due to desertion
12
Q
What was the Italian supreme commander’s (who was he?) solution for the lack of discipline?
A
- Military tribunals passed 4000 death sentences on soldiers for desertion + indiscipline (way more than any other Western army)
- Luigi Cadorna made war camps intolerable to deter soldiers from surrendering
- 600,000 soldiers had to survive on 1000 calories a day here
- Around 100,000 died of hunger-related illnesses (5x the number from FRA + GBR)
13
Q
What was the Strafexpedition, when was it launched and what effect did it have on Italy?
A
- A major offensive to open a path to attack Verona and Bologna in 1916
- Severe impact on public morale and army
- Salandra was forced to resign and replaced by Paolo Bosselli w/ no improvement in military
14
Q
When was the Battle of Caporetto, and what happened?
A
- 24 Oct 1917
- Austrian forces attacked Italian frontline + poor leadership and morale meant a humiliating and chaotic retreat (>160km) took place
- There was looting, large loss of military arms + 200000 soldiers lost contact w/ regiments
- One senator, Leopoldo Franchetti, was so overwhelmed by the defeat that he committed suicide
- 10,000 Italians killed, 30,000 wounded, 300,000 taken prisoner + 400,000 soldiers vanished
15
Q
What consequences did the defeat at Caporetto have?
A
- Lost most of the Veneto
- Reignited the divisions of intervention from 1914
- Nationalists calling for rev and removal of politicians like Giolitti who did not support the war
- Boselli resigned and was replaced by Vittorio Orlando
