The Nascent Nations in World War I – Germany and Italy
As the world approached the 1900s, World War I began. In this time various powers came to rise in the European continent. These powers focused on self nation, their growth, wealth and national prestige. All these empires were competing in the race of empire.
Germany and Italy too participated in this race of empire building. In 1871, after the Franco-Prussian war Germany unified as a state while in the year 1870, Italy unified as a state after the same war. Thus, when the World war began in 1914, they were relatively new nations aged 43 or 44 years old. In this context, we are going to bring out a glimpse of World War I and how these younger countries displayed themselves. We will learn about other interesting facts like the war between Germany and Italy, the German empire flag and other such occurrences.
German Empire
The German Empire or Imperial Germany continued to be a monarchy from 1871 until the advent of the November Revolution in 1918 when the German Empire changed its form of government from a monarchical form to a Republican country. The nation was founded on the 18th of January in 1871 when the south German states, except for Austria, had joined the North German Confederation held during that time period.
After which, the new German constitution came into force on the 16th of April after changing the name of the federal state to the German Empire and thus introducing the title of German Emperor for the King of Prussia. While Berlin remained its capital city and the Minister-President of Prussia – otto von Bismarck became the Chancellor, and he became the head of government.
German Empire Flag
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The National Flag of Germany is a tricolour that consists of three equal horizontal bands that display the national colours of Germany which is: black, red and gold. In the German language, it is known as Schwarz-rot-gold. This National Flag first came into sight in the year 1848 at the time of the German Confederation.
Italian Empire
The Italian colonial empire is also known as the Italian Empire, which got its formation between the years of 1936 and 1943. The empire construction began in the continent of Africa in the 19th century and comprised of many colonies, concessions, protectorates and dependencies which belonged to the Kingdom of Italy. In the continent of Africa, the colonial empire included the territories of the present-day including Somalia, Eritrea, Libya and Ethiopia.
While outside Africa, the Dodecanese Islands came under the rule of Italy. After the Italo-Turkish War. Albania, which is too a protectorate, came under Italy from 1917 to the year 1920 and from 1925 to 1939. Albania territory was invaded and was forced into a personal unification with some concessions in China that included Tianjin.
With the advent of World War II, Italy allied with Germany in the year 1940 and occupied British Somaliland, the western part of Egypt, Yugoslavia, Tunisia, and parts of south-western France and parts of Greece. But it then lost those conquests, and it lost its African colonies to the invading allied forces by the year 1943. In the year 1947, Italy had officially relinquished all the claims on its former colonies while only the territory of Somalia was eventually turned into a UN Trust territory under the Italian administration until the year 1960. After the independence of Somalia in 1960, Italy’s 78-year period of imperialism came to an end.
Germany and Italy
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The relationship status between Germany and Italy traditionally was very close. As already mentioned, Germany and Italy were the “young nations” during World War I. These two countries shared their own experiences in their historical developmental period. Their position today is peaked at the heart of Europe, and their individual membership is valid in NATO and of the EU and in their close economic links, which are provided as a very good basis for this.
The number of German cultural institutions which are in Italy is unique. These diverse contacts between the two civil societies, with more than 800,000 Italian citizens living in the empire of Germany, had contributed to very close relations. The two Governments of these two nations have drafted a common position regarding the European policy, especially on the issues of fundamental importance, like further deepening the European Union, framing the European migration policy, European neighbourhood policy, or the EU enlargement.
Italy vs Germany War
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On the 13th of October in the year 1943, the government of Italy declared war on its former Axis partner that is Germany, and they joined the battle on the side of the Allies.
After Mussolini got executed out of power and the fascist government collapsed in the month of July, Gen. Pietro Badoglio, who was Mussolini’s former chief of staff at that time, assumed total power at the request of King Victor Emanuel. After which, they began to negotiate with General Eisenhower about giving a conditional surrender to Italy and to the Allies' support. This became a fact, and on the 8th of September, the new Italian government was formed and it allowed the Allies to the land in Salerno, in southern Italy, in its quest to beat the Germans back up to the peninsula region.
After this, the Germans, too, sprang into action. Ever since their leader Mussolini began to falter, Hitler started to make plans to invade Italy to keep the Allies from gaining a strong foothold in Germany, which would situate them within easy reach.
Here we see the alliance and hostility between the nations of Germany and Italy. This chapter in Social Science is of high importance, and thus, students must take up the chapter with high priority. Apart from this., we get to learn many facts about both these nations and how they grew after being at the nascent stage.
Did You Know?
Germany has a total population of 81 million people.
One-third of the population is still covered by forests and parts of the woodland.
Germany becomes a member of the European Union treaty.
University is free for everyone, even for non-German people.
There are more than 2100 castles in Germany.
Italy has a free wine fountain in the centre part.
Italy is the fifth most visited country in the entire world.
FAQs on German and Italian Empires in 1914
1. What was the political structure of the German Empire in 1914?
By 1914, the German Empire, established in 1871, was a federal monarchy. It consisted of 27 constituent territories, with the Kingdom of Prussia being the largest and most dominant. The head of state was the German Emperor, a title held by the King of Prussia, who in 1914 was Kaiser Wilhelm II. While there was an elected parliament, the Reichstag, real political power was concentrated in the hands of the Emperor and the Chancellor.
2. What was Italy's political and economic situation in 1914?
In 1914, the Kingdom of Italy was a constitutional monarchy under King Victor Emmanuel III. Despite being unified since 1871, the nation faced significant challenges. These included:
- Political instability with rapidly changing governments.
- A pronounced economic divide between the industrialised north and the agrarian, impoverished south.
- Social unrest and the rise of nationalist movements demanding the inclusion of Italian-speaking territories from Austria-Hungary (irredentism).
3. Who were the key figures in the unification of Germany and Italy?
The unification of both nations was led by influential leaders. For Germany, the chief architect was Otto von Bismarck, the Minister-President of Prussia, who used a policy of 'iron and blood'. For Italy, unification was driven by three key figures: Giuseppe Mazzini (the ideological 'soul'), Count Cavour (the pragmatic Prime Minister of Sardinia-Piedmont), and Giuseppe Garibaldi (the military 'sword').
4. What territories were part of the German Empire in 1914?
The German Empire in 1914 was a federation of kingdoms, grand duchies, duchies, and free cities. The most significant territories included the Kingdoms of Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, and Württemberg. A key territory was Alsace-Lorraine, which was annexed from France in 1871 and remained a major point of tension. The empire also held several overseas colonies in Africa and the Pacific.
5. How did the process of German unification differ from that of Italy?
While both unifications were driven by nationalism, their methods differed significantly. German unification was largely a top-down process, orchestrated by the powerful state of Prussia under Bismarck and achieved through a series of decisive wars. In contrast, Italian unification was more fragmented, involving both top-down diplomacy by Cavour and popular, bottom-up revolutionary movements led by Garibaldi, and it relied more on foreign alliances. You can learn more about this in the chapter on the Rise of Nationalism in Europe.
6. Why was Italy considered a weaker partner in the Triple Alliance by 1914?
By 1914, Italy was seen as the weakest member of the Triple Alliance alongside Germany and Austria-Hungary. This was due to several factors: its recent and incomplete industrialisation compared to Germany's economic might, a less powerful and modernised military, and persistent conflicting interests with Austria-Hungary over territories like Trentino and Trieste. These underlying issues ultimately contributed to its decision to remain neutral at the start of WWI, as detailed in the history of the Triple Alliance of WW1.
7. Did Germany and Italy have significant overseas empires in 1914?
Both Germany and Italy were latecomers to colonialism compared to Britain and France. By 1914, Germany had established a notable overseas empire, holding territories like German South West Africa (Namibia), German East Africa (Tanzania), Cameroon, and Togo. Italy's colonial possessions were less extensive, primarily consisting of Libya, Eritrea, and Italian Somaliland. Their ambitions for a 'place in the sun' were a significant source of international friction.
8. How did the legacy of late unification affect Germany's and Italy's roles on the European stage in 1914?
The timing of their unifications profoundly shaped their roles. Germany's late but rapid industrial and military growth after 1871 made it a powerful and ambitious force that disrupted the established European balance of power. Italy's more recent and economically troubled unification meant it was still developing its national identity and strength, making it a less predictable and more opportunistic player in European diplomacy, seeking to gain status and territory.
