Italian Entry into World War I

The First World War broke out in June 1914; between the Triple Entente (Britain, France, USA) and the central powers of Germany and Austria. 

According to the conditions 1882 Triple Alliance between Germany, Austria and Italy, Italy would be obliged to support the latter force. However, this obligation no longer stood as Austria had broken another condition in declaring war upon Serbia without the prior notification of the Italian government. Thence, Italy was able to declare neutrality. 

The vast majority of Italians, excluding nationalists, supported this response to the breakout of war. It was anticipated that the economic impact would be overly significant, especially so soon after the 1911 Libyan War.

Antonio Salandra was the prime minister of Italy between 1914 and 1916. It is notable that he was forced to temporarily resign, for approximately one month, in April 1915 - in light of the Italian public's poor response to the exposure of the fact that Salandra and foreign minister, Sidney Sonnino, had secretly signed the Treaty of London; thus vowing that Italy was to enter the war. His ultimate permanent resignation was a consequence of Strafexpedition, at which point he was replaced by Paulo Boselli. 

He was of liberal view - yet more influenced by nationalism than Giolitti had been.

His personal motivations for war were as follows:

• The sense of national unity and patriotism that it would promote.
• The central powers would be unlikely to show mercy towards their neutral ally, if to prove victorious at war.
• Not joining the side of the Triple Entente would limit Italy's potential of attaining irredente lands.
• It would enable him to achieve more authoritative power in Italy; which would be difficult to challenge, if war was to be won.

FOR WAR -

• Benito Mussolini - who saw war as a potential mean of achieving revolution. His intentionalist views contrasted with the professed neutralist stance of the PSI, and so he was expelled from the party; after having conveyed this contrasting views in an Avanti! article.
• Crowds of rallying nationalists, who perceived neutralists as traitors. Though a minority, they were loud in their impact.

AGAINST WAR - 

• Pope Benedict XV - who referred to the war as "useless slaughter".
• The PSI - making them the only far left wing group in Europe not to support their country's war efforts. They held a notoriously neutralist stance, and a policy of "neither support nor sabotage".

DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICY REASONS - 

• Risorgimento
• The liberal government fearful of the rising popularity of Catholics and socialists in parliament.
• Constant conflict between intentionalists and neutralists
• The benefits of irredentism locally, and the fact that it would increase Italy's global stance.

APRIL 1915

• On 24th April, the Treaty of London was secretly signed by Antonio Salandra and Sidney Sonnino. Italy was to enter the war, on the side of the Triple Entente, so long as they were to receive irredente lands upon victory. There was a poor public response; thus Salandra was forced to temporarily resign.
• Newly elected prefects were appointed to investigate the public response to the treaty; and it was found that the vast majority had desire for neither war with Austria nor irredentism.
• Giolitti publicly condemned the treaty; 300 deputies expressed a similar opinion.

MAY 1915

• King Victor Emmanuel III asked Giolitti to form a new liberal government; under which circumstance he would be forced to abdicate as he felt commited to the Treaty of London, fearing the consequences of betraying both sides of the war. Giolitti thence refused the position.
• On 16th May, Salandra was reinstated; and was granted emergency powers four days later.
• On 25th May, Italy officially entered World War I; declaring war against Austria.

• Two years of military stalemate were to follow - between 1915 and 1916. A total of eleven major offensives took place. 62,000 soldiers died in combat.
• Soldiers were susceptible to disease - including cholera and frostbite.
• Conditions were extremely treacherous - with the soldiers being poorly equipped for the frosty, bitter Alpine terrain.
• There was a language barrier between army personnel - conscripted from different areas throughout Italy.
• Southern Italians saw little justification for war - the irrendente lands promised appeared relatively worthless to them.

• Cadorna was an overly autocratic miliary leader - between July 1914 and October 1917.
• One of his fundamental tactics was decimation. In response to misconduct, he would select random members of the Italian army and kill them in front of other soldiers, as a scaring tactic. 
• He allowed for low rations (of 3000 kcal per day in 1916). 
• He inflicted much blame upon his peers. For low soldier and public morale, he blamed the PSI ("neither support nor sabotage") and Pope Benedict XV ("useless slaughter"). For defeat at Caporetto, the supposed weakness and cowardice of the soldiers was used as a point of blame.
• After defeat at Caporetto, in October 1917, he was replaced with General Armando Diaz.

Strafexpedition refers to the Austrians' attempt to establish a path to Verona and Bologna in the Trentine Salient, for the sake of subsequent invasion. The Austrian army was defeated by that Italian - however, the event reduced army morale furthermore. 

It led to the replacement of Antonio Salandra with 78-year-old Paulo Boselli.

The Battle of Caporetto was a humilating defeat for the Italian army, which was a consequence of low army morale. 

Taking place on 24th October 1917, 10,000 Italians were killed; whilst a further 30,000 were wounded, and 300,000 imprisoned.

It led to General Luigi Cadorna being replaced with General Armando Diaz, once Vittorio Orlando came to power as prime minister.