14 - The Italian experience of ‘total’ mobilization, 1915–1920

Summary

Introduction

Anyone making even a fairly cursory examination of Italian reactions to the experience of the First World War cannot fail to be struck by the paradoxical nature of certain of the political positions of 1919. It seems strange, at least in terms of the final outcome, that Italy fought a successful war yet emerged psychologically a loser. A further anomaly is that although it was ranged with the victorious Allies whose institutions did not seem threatened by revolution, Italy in the immediate post-war period seemed likely to follow the path of the defeated and succumb to popular revolt. And, in contrast with the joyful reactions of France, Britain and the United States, it is surprising that large parts of the Italian population, civilian and combatant alike, greeted the final victory with repeated denunciations of the war effort and derisive attacks on its consequences, despite enormous sacrifices.

These anomalies are highly indicative of the unique experience of the First World War in Italy. As in the rest of Europe, mobilization produced enormous and radical changes in Italian society – in political and economic structures in particular. But the nature of these changes, and their immediate effects, were largely determined by factors which were peculiar to Italy and which reflected many of the difficulties the country had faced in the decades preceding the conflict.

In fact, the shock of ‘total’ war exposed many of the weaknesses of the liberal Italian state. In Italy, as in all belligerent countries, mass mobilization and the total commitment to the war effort necessitated a new relationship between state and civil society.