If France is Bourbon or Orléanist, I doubt there would be a Franco-Prussian war even resembling the one IOTL. Other ideas?I’m not too sure about this. There was a longstanding alliance between Italian nationalists and republican/imperial France, and a longstanding hatred of Austria by Italian nationalists. This would be a radical shift in alliance.
To get this to happen, I dunno, have Bourbon or Orleanist France be the country to go to war with Prussia?
If France is Bourbon or Orléanist, I doubt there would be a Franco-Prussian war even resembling the one IOTL. Other ideas?
Jolly good idea!Italy joined Prussia during the Austro-Prussian war and took Veneto from Austria. What if Italy also seized the opportunity during the Franco-Prussian war and took Savoy, Nice and Corsica from France?
Would the Central Powers win WW1 ITTL?Jolly good idea!
However, France will probably hate Italy forever. It is OK for France to annex bits of neighbours but to have somebody take something back? Outrageous and unforgivable.
Mind you, Nice and Savoy might not breed such strong sentiment. But I imagine that Corsica could or would.
Whatever Italy territories regains this might sauer relations. Still, French elites may focus on Lothringen and Elsass and try to get chummy with the treacherous bastards![]()
IMO Italy is irrelevant to who wins WWI.Would the Central Powers win WW1 ITTL?
I don't think that a Papal Italy would join the side of a Protestant and Anti-Catholic Prussia against a Catholic France unless France is led by an extremist anti-clerical faction.
It’s not the hardest thing in the world to preserve the Second Republic, or else have the Second Empire collapse earlier. And a Papal Italy wouldn’t like a French Republic for clear reasons.
Jolly good idea!
However, France will probably hate Italy forever. It is OK for France to annex bits of neighbours but to have somebody take something back? Outrageous and unforgivable.
Well in this case, France purchased Corsica from Genoa, and acquired Savoy/Nice from Piedmont as compensation for its help against Austria, so it would be kind of a jerk move for Italy to take them through aggression.