The Kingdom of Italy, like some of…
1882 CE
With this aim in mind, Italy joins the German–Austrian Alliance to form the Triple Alliance, partly in anger at the French seizure of Tunisia in 1881 (the so-called Schiaffo di Tunisi by Italian press), which many Italians had seen as a potential colony, and partly to guarantee herself support in case of foreign aggression: the main alliance compelled any signatory country to support the other parties if two other countries attacked.
At the time, most European countries try to ensure similar guarantees, and because of the Tunisian crisis, Italy finds no other big potential ally than its historical enemy, Austria-Hungary, against which Italy had fought three wars in the thirty-four years before the first treaty signing.
However, Italian public opinion remains unenthusiastic about their country's alignment with Austria-Hungary, a past enemy of Italian unification, and whose Italian-populated districts in the Trentino and Istria are seen as occupied territories by Italian irredentists.
In the years before the First World War, many distinguished military analysts will predict that Italy will attack its supposed ally in the event of a large scale conflict.
Italy's adherence to the Triple Alliance will be doubted and from 1903 plans for a possible war against Rome will again be maintained by the Austrian general staff.
Mutual suspicions will lead to reinforcement of the frontier and speculation in the press about a war between the two countries into the first decade of the twentieth century.
As late as 1911 Count Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf, chief of the Austro-Hungarian General Staff, will be advocating a military preemptive strike against Austria's supposed Italian ally.
This prediction will be strengthened by Italy's invasion and annexation of Libya, bringing it into conflict with the German-backed Ottoman Empire.
Locations
Groups
Ottoman Empire
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Russian Empire
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Austria-Hungary
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German Empire (“Second Reich”)
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France (French republic); the Third Republic
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Herzegovina, Ottoman viyalet of
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Bosnia, Ottoman viyalet of
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Bulgaria (Ottoman vassal), Principality of
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Romania, Kingdom of
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Tunis, French protectorate of
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Serbia, Kingdom of
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Britain (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
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Italy (Italian Republic)
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Subjects
Regions
Southwest Europe
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