Not even sure Italy could win such a war. They gained Venitia only thanks to the Prussian success rather then their own.
Why should Italy want French territory? The retrocession of Nice and Savoy (added to Latium) would be more than satisfactory. The western Alps are anyway a very difficult terrain on which to wage war. If Italy were to enter the war on the Prussian side, it would make sense to keep on the defensive in the west and attack eastern Algeria (maybe with a landing in Tunisia, which would mean taking it as a protectorate)Wouldn't Prussia be eager to press as much French territory as possible on them? Doing so ensures Italy's permanent permanent estrangement from France, which in turn ensures that Italy will stay an ally of Germany.
Well that would be French territory, at least from the French perspective(I don´t see them annexing much of Savoy though, the area is on the other side of the Alps). Maybe Corsica also? I don´t think that other than that there is really anything more they would want from France in 1870(free hand in Tunisia also but that´s more of a later issue).Why should Italy want French territory? The retrocession of Nice and Savoy (added to Latium) would be more than satisfactory. The western Alps are anyway a very difficult terrain on which to wage war. If Italy were to enter the war on the Prussian side, it would make sense to keep on the defensive in the west and attack eastern Algeria (maybe with a landing in Tunisia, which would mean taking it as a protectorate)
Nice and Savoy had been ceded to France just 10 years before, so I suspect that they would be regained. Corsica is not much on the radar in the 19th century: it does not have resources nor is good for colonization.Well that would be French territory, at least from the French perspective(I don´t see them annexing much of Savoy though, the area is on the other side of the Alps). Maybe Corsica also? I don´t think that other than that there is really anything more they would want from France in 1870(free hand in Tunisia also but that´s more of a later issue).
Problem with Savoy is that it´s French(Arpitan) speaking and geography located in a bad position for Italy, the Aosta valley is for example connected to the Po Valley but Savoy isn´t, it´s on the other side of the Alps.Nice and Savoy had been ceded to France just 10 years before, so I suspect that they would be regained. Corsica is not much on the radar in the 19th century: it does not have resources nor is good for colonization.
There are already strong Italian interests in Tunisia (and a sizable number of Italian expatriates), so it would certainly be a priority to stop French encroachment. There are Italian colonists in Eastern Algeria too, so it could be interesting (also another good area for settlement)
They don´t have to be, but 3000m+ mountains are going to make it way less likely.@Gloss: why should borders be completely rational? If the king of Italy wants his ancestral lands back and that's possible, then I would not rule out Savoy either. IMHO Prussia wouldn't be against another Power within the French self proclaimed natural borders (which in the strictest interpretation were rather expansionist), that would also put Italy in the 'German' camp, which means an almost guaranteed ally (if Savoy, Nice and at least Tunesia).
Problem with Savoy is that it´s French(Arpitan) speaking and geography located in a bad position for Italy, the Aosta valley is for example connected to the Po Valley but Savoy isn´t, it´s on the other side of the Alps.
The deal with Corsica is Italian(Corsican) speaking and simply there for the taking, I mean since they can´t take Savoy, they would only be able to claim Nice and Corsica could be seen as an extension to that claim(Italian speaking regions of France + better control of the sea).
I wonder how much can Tunisia/Algerian border change and how much they are influence by local geography, as far as I know the Atlas mountain end in Tunisia so maybe that´s the geographical factor there. personally I think Italy will be happy with just Tunisia at least in this particular peace deal.
So in the end:
-Nice
-Corsica
-Rome
-Tunisia
That´s not really a point, most dialects are language at that point, Corsican is not real special in its dialect or at least is was not seen asthat by Italians. The problems with Genoa were different, I would think they annex it for military and irredentism reason, economy is not needed in this case. The island would still be remote(as it was for France and as Sardinia was for Italy)There is no sign of Italian irredentism in Corsica in the 19th century, the Corsican language is not an Italian dialect but rather a language on its own and even in the past the republic of Genoa had encountered lots of problems in keeping Corsica under control. As I said, there is no economical benefit in annexing it. It can certainly be ceded to Italy, but it would be not an Italian priority.
In the end I would say that Nice + Rome + Tunisia would be already a very good result. Corsica or Savoy (or neither) would depend how the war goes and how the diplomatic necessities play a role. Machiavelli said that it is stupid to make a small harm to an enemy: either be generous or squash him so that he cannot come back for another round.
Yeah, I find weird that Italy and Germany weren´t more ally IOTL, with Austria and France both being enemies.There does seem to have been a general sympathy for France among the Italian ruling elite during the Franco-Prussian War, and most seemed loathe to kick France while it was down. On the other hand, according to correspondence amongst the diplomats involved, the Germans seemed to suggest that an Italian move against France would not only be encouraged, but aided.
This was evident from a letter dated 27 July 1870, from Bismarck to the Italian foreign minister, encouraging the Italians to send a "corps" of observation into Nizza. On March 23 1871 Bismarck let the Italian Minister know that it was up to them to "profit" from the war by claiming Savoy and Nice, stating that 4,000 German troops could be sent to assist. During the war, there was a separatist committee formed in Nice and it appears that the French envoy in Italy Gustave Rothan was informed of one being formed in Corsica by irredentists.
Later on in 1872, General Petitti di Roreto was told by Molke "I have never understood why you did not then retake Nice. It was there if you wanted it, and by now the thing would be over and done".
Yeah, I find weird that Italy and Germany weren´t more ally IOTL, with Austria and France both being enemies.
Because France wasn't considered an enemy. They even send volonteers to fight the Prussians during the franco-prussian war. A good exemple is Garibaldi who said: "Yesterday I said to you: war to the death to Bonaparte. Today I say to you: rescue the French Republic by every means."Yeah, I find weird that Italy and Germany weren´t more ally IOTL, with Austria and France both being enemies.
I´m not sure if that´s due to respect or due to not being confident enough. Italy definitely had claims on France, at least for a couple internal groups.Italy didn't consider France an enemy, though. It arguably could have done so (especially with France keeping a garrison in Rome) but seems to have respected that France had aided Italian unification in the first place.
That´s more of a ideological thing of a man and a couple hundred followers. Garibaldi was not happy at all with Nice being French at the same time. Not in the slightest.Because France wasn't considered an enemy. They even send volonteers to fight the Prussians during the franco-prussian war. A good exemple is Garibaldi who said: "Yesterday I said to you: war to the death to Bonaparte. Today I say to you: rescue the French Republic by every means."
the Roman Question weighing very heavily on the relations between France and Italy.
and taking Rome looked like a sure winWell, not after Sedan and the French evacuation.
But then again, France looks like a poorer bet.