So my question is: how do we make Italy join the Central Powers instead of the Entante in WWI. And forthermore, how would this affect WWI?
Basically you need some major incident with France to shift the traditional italian policy to a more pro-Germany one. A serious colonial incident could do the trick, especially if happens rigth before WW1. Alternatevely you could have a more pronunciated economic war with France at the beginning of the century, pushing Italy into Germany economical orbit.
As for the war itself, if Italy joins up the CP, this have to happen before the british entry. Italy was a country dependig largely on trade and a stern blockade could wreck easily the italian economy. So the war window for Italy is pretty narrow and limited to 1914.
In consequence of this Turkey will probably stay neutral. Enver pasha could force the goverment hand only because few german warships sought refuge in Turkey at the start of the war, lending him enough leverage. But in TTL those ships are likely to seek asylum in an Italian port...
Turkey neutrality will have repercussions in the Balkans too, but on this you'll have to ask to someone more expert than me...
Usually in timelines where Italy is pro central powers, the invasion of France have more probabilities to succed, since the french lines, in the first weeks of war, would have been stretched too thin by the necessity to man the italian border too. Personally I've never found those arguments definitives, but is sure that the anglo-french will have a thougher time in TTL.
QUOTE]Agreed. The
treachery of Italy was more or less a quick bidding war to see who could offer the most land to Rome ... [/QUOTE]
Interesting. So not joining a war started by a nation you are linked only by a
defensive alliance is treachery? Funny, I thought it was called common sense, since the triple alliance was already dead in the 1914.
Indeed, without land concessions Italy would have never joined the central powers, but the real problem with A-H was the control of the Adriatic, rather than the alpine region. Vienna could let Italy have the Trentino region (though not the South Tyrol), but would have never left Trieste go.
Highly unlikely but perhaps you could have the British or French naval commands overreact to the possibility of Italy entering the war with their allies (a novel concept???) and attack the Italian ships in a preemptive move.
A novel concept? And how many alliances Italy had ever betrayed? Let me think...None? But I'm sure you'll have countelss episodes to support your thesis, haven't you?
A preemptive attack is an interesting idea, but why attack if Italy is not showing any intentions to join the the central powers and the relations with Austria are at their lowest point?