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Background:

Tensions had been rising between the newly unified power of Italy, and the Sick man of Europe, the Ottoman empire. Libya, a Turkish position, lay in the sphere of influence of the Italians. The Ottomans African lands had been receding from the French, and British, till there was only a small remnant of what once was the Ottoman Africa.

Italy had incentivised Economic investment and migration to Libya. The Italians who had recently joined under one banner missed out on the majority of the African Partition. They only annexed Italian Eritrea and Somalia. They dreamed of expansion into North Africa, somewhere closer to home, so they could control more of the Mediterranean like in the glory days of Rome.

They had negotiated with other European powers, so they could get on the good side of the Italians. Italian journalists and hyper-nationalists called out for an invasion and annexation of Libya.

The Sultan reasonably sent Arms to Libya. the Italians wanting to gain the moral high ground stated the Ottomans were funding extremists to kill off the migrated Italian population......War had started between the Third Rome and the Restoration of the First Roman empire.

Point of Divergence:

After the war was declared, Italy captured all major ports and largest cities in Turkish Libya. The Ottomans realizing a loss to the war, contacted the Austro-Hungarian empire. The Ottomans asked the Austro-Hungarians to declare war, and launch an invasion of Austro-Hungarian land in the Alps. They'd get more land in the Alps region, and have a foot on all actions against Italy, and would enter an alliance with the Austro-Hungarians against future Italian expansion. Austria-Hungary agrees and declares war on Italy. Austria-Hungary quickly mobilizes and brings troops to fight the Italians. Using surprise, and the already at war Italian army, they quickly overrun Italian cities and Alp territories. the Ottomans now using the advantage send the rest of their navy to retake the cities of Libya. The war has begun, and the Habsburg and the Sultan, stand Tall.

Discuss what would happen next, other foreign powers, from Russia to Germany, to Britan, to Persia, to Japan, if this would remain regional, or escalate to involve other foreign powers, what kind of nations could you draw into this earlier world war, and who would win?
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