CLIL History

BETWEEN WAR AND REVOLUTION (1899-1924) ACTIVITY 4.G Read the following paragraphs and then put them in the correct order to explain the role of Italy in World War I. The first one is given. The Italian War A The intervention in the war had to be approved by the Italian Parliament. During the month of May 1915, the interventionists managed to organize demonstrations to force a parliamentary decision. B The majority of Italians were against the war. The neutralists included Catholics, the Italian Socialist Party and Giovanni Giolitti with the Liberals. This peaceful position was supported by Pope Benedictus XV. C On 26 April 1915 the Italian Foreign Minister Sidney Sonnino signed a secret agreement, the Treaty of London, even if the neutralist positions within the Italian society and the Parliament still prevailed. D New military, economic and propagandistic measures allowed the Italians to form their counter-offensive in the battle of Vittorio Veneto, on 24 October 1918. On 3 November 1918 the armistice was signed. The day after hostilities officially stopped. E Under this pact Italy undertook to enter the war against the Central Powers in exchange for territorial expansion. In particular, the new allies agreed that Italy would annex Trento, Trieste, Gorizia, Istria, part of Dalmatia, the city of Valona in Albania and a few colonies in Africa. Gabriele D Annunzio s address in favour of Italy s entrance into war in Quarto, near Genoa, in 1915. F On 24 May 1915, Italy entered the war. The Italian troops crossed the Piave river and attacked the enemy lines on the eastern border. G 1 On 2 August 1914 Italy declared its neutrality, even though it was allied with the German Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire (the Central Powers) in the Triple Alliance. This decision was justified by the fact that the alliance was a defensive pact. H Between 1915 and 1917, the Italian troops were only able to advance a few miles into Austrian territory. In October 1917 the Italian lines at Caporetto were attacked and overwhelmed by the Austro-Hungarian army. The Italian soldiers were forced to withdraw and were defeated. As a consequence general Armando Diaz took over as head of the army from general Luigi Cadorna. I The interventionists included nationalists, the Irredentists, Liberal Conservatives, the revolutionary left and some Socialists, led by Benito Mussolini. J The Treaty of Saint-Germain (1919) and the Treaty of Trianon (1920) granted Italy the cities of Trento and Trieste, Istria and South Tyrol. K In the following months, from the autumn of 1914 to May 1915, a heated public debate between neutralists and interventionists stirred the country. 14