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Italy and War - Coggle Diagram
Italy and War
Key Battles
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The battle of caporetto (Oct 1917): 700,000 italians retreated over 150km. Around 300,000 italians held prisoner. General Cadona blamed it on cowardice and executed some. He was sacked after this.
Vittorio Veneto, Oct 1918: Won when the austria-hungary empire was on the verge of disintigration
Most soldiers were peasant conscripts who didnt understand why war was being fought.Low rations, low pay and lack of modern equipment undermined morale. Thousands killed by disease
Effects of war
Military: 5M conscripted, generally trench stalemate. 11 offensives in 2 and a half years, maximum advance 12 miles.600,000 italians killed. 1M wounded.
Political: Gov powers increased, parliament just a rubber stamp. Close state-industry links. PSI neither supported nor sabotaged, Pope criticised as useless slaughter. Revolution in Russia inspired many socialists
Economic: state spent 148B lire, national debt rose - led to gov printing money. Inflation destroyed savings. Landowners relied on rent that wasnt being payed. Major industry saw expansion, however profits fell after war as gov cut back savings
Social: strict discipline in war industries, long hours, increased employment of women, demobalisation of 2.5m soldiers put pressure on economy. Real wages fell by 35%. Hostility towards war profiteers, increased unemployment to over 2M. membership of trade unions increased to over 2M in 1920.
Occupation of Fiume
Failure of lib gov to get territories highlighted in D'Annunzio's seizure of Fiume. Italy wasn't granted the city, so D'Annunzio took it and ruled for a year.
In Sep 1919, D'Annunzio seized Fiume: the allied soldiers left, and italian gov did nothing, showing their willigness to submit to violence. Nationalists liked this.
In Nov 1920, Italy and Yugoslavia agreed in the treaty of Rapello to settle status in Fiume. In December, Italian gov forced D'Annunzio to pull out.
Fiume showed force could be used to achieve political victories in post war Italy. Showed governments inadequacy as well. A lot of his ideology and symbols can be seen later on in Fascism.
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Mutilated victory
Promised majot terriotorial gains in 1915. However, they were denied them by end of war. PM Orlando walked out in protest of these terms, but nothing was achieved. Italians felt this didn't reflect their sacrifices in the war.
Treaty of St Germain (Sep 1919): Italy gained Trentino, south tyrol and istria, but lost dalmatia and fiume.