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Italian Unification War
The Italian Unification War was the first of one of the many wars during the European Crisis in the early 20th century. After decades of separation from one another, most Italian States had already chosen their own way, with the Kingdom of Naples heeling to France under the house of Murat, the Papal States being neutral (although they would later claim the title of Republic of Italy), and the Republic of Venice becoming an Austro-Hungarian ally. Only the Kingdom of Piedmont remained to really unify Italy. Their takeover of the Duchy of Tuscany went relatively unnoticed in 1912, as most nations didn't really have formal relations with the small duchy anyways. Piedmont then turned to Austria-Hungary for help. The Empire had had their own struggles with internal politics, and saw the advantages of a united Italy against the increasingly bothersome Serene Republic of Venice, who made moves to get closer to France notably during the Annexation of the Ionian Islands.
Austria-Hungary therefore sent many advisors to the Piemontese, who planned to attack Venice first with Austrian assistance. However, the Magenta Compact (named after the French Warship it was signed on) went on to disturb this plan. With this compact, the independence of the Kingdom of Naples and the Republic of Venice would be guaranteed by both France and Provence. This would greatly unnerve the Piemontese leadership, who considered backing down. However, the Piemontese Royalist leadership under Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta, remained convinced that the Austro-Hungarians would intervene and help them take over Venice and enough of Provence to stop France from intervening, already trying to avoid a War with Britain over the status of Nigeria.
Finally, on July 7th, 1915, Piemontese troops invaded Venice and Provence simultaneously. However, the French response was immediate, as both the Kingdom of Naples and the French Republic declared war on Piedmont hours later. Worse, the German ambassador to Austria-Hungary Heinrich von Tschirskiy threatened Austrian Emperor Franz-Joseph I with war if ever Austria-Hungary intervened in such a blatant violation of Venetian sovereignty. Austria-Hungary was forced to back down as Piedmont was forced alone into the war.
Although the Piemontese forces managed to gain ground early on, they were stopped at the Battle of Vittorio-Veneto by the Venetians and at the Battle of Fossane by Provencal and French forces under Provencal general Louis "Luigi" Cadorna. The latter would be the bloodiest confrontation of the war, along with the later Franco-Venetian victory at Solferino, where the Piemontese suffered huge casualties. Soon enough Piedmont was forced to capitulate to the Compact. Piedmont would have to cede many border territories, including Low Tyrol they recieved from Austria-Hungary, to Venice, Northern Cuneo province to Provence and liberate the Duchy of Tuscany.
Provence would also annex the Island of Elba, bathed in blood after Admiral di Revel tried to make his last stand. The Provencal navy proved to be much more solid, only losing the Battleship Cagliari to Piedmont's entire fleet. The disastrous war would push Piedmont towards a military dictatorship, as many blamed the royals for the defeats, with Piedro Badroglio taking charge in 1919. The War would also be the beginning of the end for Austria-Hungary, who invested massively into the war, albeit without comitting any forces. This and the later economic downturn and ethnic conflicts would result in the Austro-Hungarian Civil War of 1930 and the fall of the Empire.
The Magenta Compact would leave this war strengthened, and the Compact went on to sign the Strasbourg treaty of Mutual Assistance in 1927, this time also including Bavaria, Germany, Poland and Flanders, which would prompt Britain to sign the London Accords with Russia, Portugal and the Netherlands. The STMA and the LC would be the basis of the World War, which would bring the whole world crashing down only fifteen years later.
Austria-Hungary therefore sent many advisors to the Piemontese, who planned to attack Venice first with Austrian assistance. However, the Magenta Compact (named after the French Warship it was signed on) went on to disturb this plan. With this compact, the independence of the Kingdom of Naples and the Republic of Venice would be guaranteed by both France and Provence. This would greatly unnerve the Piemontese leadership, who considered backing down. However, the Piemontese Royalist leadership under Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta, remained convinced that the Austro-Hungarians would intervene and help them take over Venice and enough of Provence to stop France from intervening, already trying to avoid a War with Britain over the status of Nigeria.
Finally, on July 7th, 1915, Piemontese troops invaded Venice and Provence simultaneously. However, the French response was immediate, as both the Kingdom of Naples and the French Republic declared war on Piedmont hours later. Worse, the German ambassador to Austria-Hungary Heinrich von Tschirskiy threatened Austrian Emperor Franz-Joseph I with war if ever Austria-Hungary intervened in such a blatant violation of Venetian sovereignty. Austria-Hungary was forced to back down as Piedmont was forced alone into the war.
Although the Piemontese forces managed to gain ground early on, they were stopped at the Battle of Vittorio-Veneto by the Venetians and at the Battle of Fossane by Provencal and French forces under Provencal general Louis "Luigi" Cadorna. The latter would be the bloodiest confrontation of the war, along with the later Franco-Venetian victory at Solferino, where the Piemontese suffered huge casualties. Soon enough Piedmont was forced to capitulate to the Compact. Piedmont would have to cede many border territories, including Low Tyrol they recieved from Austria-Hungary, to Venice, Northern Cuneo province to Provence and liberate the Duchy of Tuscany.
Provence would also annex the Island of Elba, bathed in blood after Admiral di Revel tried to make his last stand. The Provencal navy proved to be much more solid, only losing the Battleship Cagliari to Piedmont's entire fleet. The disastrous war would push Piedmont towards a military dictatorship, as many blamed the royals for the defeats, with Piedro Badroglio taking charge in 1919. The War would also be the beginning of the end for Austria-Hungary, who invested massively into the war, albeit without comitting any forces. This and the later economic downturn and ethnic conflicts would result in the Austro-Hungarian Civil War of 1930 and the fall of the Empire.
The Magenta Compact would leave this war strengthened, and the Compact went on to sign the Strasbourg treaty of Mutual Assistance in 1927, this time also including Bavaria, Germany, Poland and Flanders, which would prompt Britain to sign the London Accords with Russia, Portugal and the Netherlands. The STMA and the LC would be the basis of the World War, which would bring the whole world crashing down only fifteen years later.
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