The
independent state of Italy emerged from a long nationalist struggle
for unification that started with the revolution of 1848. The southern
kingdoms of Sardinia and Sicily joined in 1866 and by 1914 only the
Vatican and San Marino retained independence within Italy. However,
a large Italian population remained within Austria-Hungary
in the Trentino and Trieste regions.
By 1911 Italy had a population of 34.7 million. Although primarily
an agricultural economy, there was considerable industry in the northern
areas of the country. To feed its growing population, Italy needed
to import some foods, notably grain from Russia
and Germany.
Italy was a constitutional monarchy. Victor
Emmanuel III had been king since 1900. People were appointed to
the upper house of the National Assembly but the lower house was elected
by universal adult male suffrage. The prime minister was Giovanni
Giolitti but after the 1913 elections when socialists and radicals
did well, he had a greatly reduced majority in the National Assembly.
Italy had been members of the Triple Alliance
with Germany and Austria-Hungary
since 1882. However, this alliance was unpopular with large numbers
of Italians and there was some doubt about Italy's military involvement
in event of a war with members of the Triple
Entente (Britain, France
and Russia).
The Italian Government introduced military conscription in 1907. However,
only about 25 per cent of those eligible for conscription received
training and by 1912 there were only 300,000 men in the Italian
Army.
Luciano
Mauzan,
For Liberation, Italian poster
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