WI: Italy sides with Central Powers, and the Ottomans sides with the Entente

What if allies were switched around during WWI

Italy decides to side with the Central Powers, and officially declares war on France, to retake Corsica, Nice and Savoy. They are also promised Trieste, but the Austrians may not honor that agreement.

Meanwhile, Ottomans join the Entente, thinking that they could retake African Territory from the Italians.

What would happen if Italy sides the Central power, and the Ottomans side with the Entente?
 

Deleted member 1487

When do these DoWs happen? That will change a LOT. Italy declaring war in 1914 may well end the war before the Ottomans could join in.
 
When do these DoWs happen? That will change a LOT. Italy declaring war in 1914 may well end the war before the Ottomans could join in.

I was going for 1915, because for Italy, it was a tough decision to either be neutral or join the war on either side. They join the war on the Entente because they were promised Austrian lands, but if Germany promised them French lands, and forces Austria to give up it Italian lands, they could join Central Powers. However, the question is, would Austria honor that agreement?

For the Ottomans, probably have the neutral faction win out, and not have that surprise navel attack on Russia, and when Italy joins the war in 1915, have the Entente promise the Ottomans the lands that Italy took.
 

Deleted member 1487

I was going for 1915, because for Italy, it was a tough decision to either be neutral or join the war on either side. They join the war on the Entente because they were promised Austrian lands, but if Germany promised them French lands, and forces Austria to give up it Italian lands, they could join Central Powers. However, the question is, would Austria honor that agreement?
Italy, if it was going to side with the CPs, would have done so in 1914. By 1915 things don't look great for the CPs and Italy wanted A-H territory before anything else, while the Entente had deeper pockets and was offering a lot of money for their entry on their side.
Austria also would never give up lands to Italy, it would be political suicide for the Habsburgs to do so; Germany actually did try and get them to do so, but in the end all they would consent to was post-war promises for consideration. Italy knew that was worth less than the paper it was written on. Also Italy had the 'minor' issue of the French and British navy, which would collapse their economy if the war went on for very long. So it was 1914 or bust for Italian CP entry due to structural issues that won't change without ASBs.

For the Ottomans, probably have the neutral faction win out, and not have that surprise navel attack on Russia, and when Italy joins the war in 1915, have the Entente promise the Ottomans the lands that Italy took.
Sounds reasonable, especially if the British actually honor their contract to provide the Ottomans with their BBs and negate the propaganda coup the Germans got with 'gifting' them their trapped cruisers. Problem is they then get sucked into the fighting in the Balkans against A-H and Bulgaria, not to mention having to deal with Italy, which isn't going to be great for them, but less fatal than their OTL actions. Mostly their contributions would be in the Balkans and making sure the Middle East is Entente friendly.
 
When do these DoWs happen? That will change a LOT. Italy declaring war in 1914 may well end the war before the Ottomans could join in.

Would it really be enough? Rough terrain on the French-Italian border, and the Italian troops in OTL didn't show themselves to be very good at advancing through mountains; how much would the French really have to divert south? Is it clear that it would be enough to make the difference in the north?
 

Deleted member 1487

Would it really be enough? Rough terrain on the French-Italian border, and the Italian troops in OTL didn't show themselves to be very good at advancing through mountains; how much would the French really have to divert south? Is it clear that it would be enough to make the difference in the north?
The French would need to divert enough south to matter, much like in 1940. Part of their ability to survive in 1914 was the ability to strip the troops from the Italian border.
 
The French would need to divert enough south to matter, much like in 1940. Part of their ability to survive in 1914 was the ability to strip the troops from the Italian border.

Logistics were easier in 1940. Facing weaker opposition would surely let the Germans get a few kilometers further, but every kilometer the Germans advanced was a bigger strain on their supply lines, making the next kilometer harder. Admittedly, they didn't need very many kilometers to reach Paris, which would have been very bad for the French, but in WWII the French had a huge force encircled and captured in Belgium; that was the blow they couldn't recover from. Unless something like that happened in WWI, I see the French fighting on even if the Germans reach Paris (and I'm still not completely convinced the Germans do reach Paris).

Still, I'm probably biased by really wanting to see what happens to the naval war if France holds out. Sure, smart money is still on the Royal Navy, but facing both the Italians and AH would have the potential for exciting battles where it's always possible things could go wrong in the Mediterranean. And more ships sent south means fewer ships in the North Sea, and so a greater chance of an RN vs HSF at something closer to even odds, and so again a small chance of exciting reversals.
 
If Central Powers still losses WWI, what are some punishments for Italy? A chunk of it given to France? Papal independence? How would that effect Mussolini?

Also, if the Ottoman Empire won the won and gain Italian territories, like Tripolitania, would it survive with the help of western powers?
 
If Central Powers still losses WWI, what are some punishments for Italy? A chunk of it given to France? Papal independence? How would that effect Mussolini?

Also, if the Ottoman Empire won the won and gain Italian territories, like Tripolitania, would it survive with the help of western powers?
Likely, yes. They could even gain territory from Bulgaria, and if Greece joins the CP, they get even more land in Europe.
 
Italy's joining the Allies is overdetermined. The only way to reverse it, IMO, would be if some damn-fool Italian leader jumped to the conclusion that France was beaten in August 1914, and decided Italy should enter the war to get some cookies (like Mussolini in OTL 1940).

If it happens, Turkey might join the Allies for revanche against Italy.

Bulgaria remains neutral. Bulgaria is not going to enter the war and face attack by Turkey which is supported by Russia and Britain while isolated from Germany.

One of the first orders of business for the Allies will be cleaning the Italians out of the Dodecanese islands. Then I would expect the Allies to transport a Turkish army to Libya to defeat the Italians there.
 
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