View source for Talk:World History Homework Eleven Answers - Student Two

Italy was a member of the ''Triple Alliance''. Yet, didn't join the war on side of Germany and Austria-Hungary, but as late as 1915 as an allied force. 
The reason: the ''Triple Alliance'' was created for defensive purposes, and Italy deemed the war against Serbia as aggressive.
[[User:ClementB|Clement ♗]] 23:20, 25 April 2009 (EDT)

: Your poor grammar obscures your point.  Could you restate more clearly?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 23:25, 25 April 2009 (EDT)

:*Italy became of member of the ''Triple Alliance'' in 1882
:*Italy remained neutral in 1914, claiming that the ''Triple Alliance'' was intended for defensive purposes only
:*Italy joined the war on side of the allied forces in 1915
:*So, Italy had ties to the central powers, but instead of choosing sides in 1914, it did so in 1915. 
:[[User:ClementB|Clement ♗]] 23:33, 25 April 2009 (EDT)

:: You give too much credit to the motivation underlying Mussolini's positions.  He switched sides because the Allied forces promised him more.  Then he ended up with less than he was promised, after he failed to achieve much in battle.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 23:49, 25 April 2009 (EDT)

:::Mussolini? '''Mussolini???''' My, you ''are'' in the wrong war.  [[User:ClementB|Clement ♗]] 23:53, 25 April 2009 (EDT)

:::No, Mussolini was the leader of the socialists in Italy in World War I, and his change in position mirrored his nation's.[http://gi.grolier.com/wwii/wwii_mussolini.html]--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 00:11, 26 April 2009 (EDT)

::::Mussolini had changed his position from supporting absolute neutrality  (his party's position) to an intervention on behalf of the allied forces. 
::::He was mainly a journalist at this time, one of the most prominent socialists, but not  ''the leader of the socialists in Italy''
::::[[User:ClementB|Clement ♗]] 00:17, 26 April 2009 (EDT)

Andy, may I offer some advice as an experienced teacher? Clement rightly pointed out that you were incorrect to state that Italy changed sides then to suggest that Mussolini influenced the decision to declare war on Austria-Hungary in 1915. I think a better response from you to Clement in both cases would have been, "Whoops! Sorry, I made a mistake". This would have added to your credibility as an educator, whereas not recognising that you (like everyone else) sometimes make mistakes detracts from it. There's no disgrace in misunderstanding Italy's foreign policy before WW1, which was complex and duplicitous. [[User:JosephMac|JosephMac]] 13:22, 26 April 2009 (EDT)

: JosephMac and Clement, I encourage you to read up more about Mussolini and World War I.  Here's a sample to bring you up to speed:  "Because of his beliefs, Mussolini was supportive of World War I and tried to push Italians to support and join the fight. ... he founded a newspaper for war propaganda to urge Italians to want to get involved in the war."[http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1450352/hitler_and_mussolini_during_world_war.html]  Socialists generally opposed World War I as a though it were a "capitalistic war," and Mussolini's change in position as a leading socialist towards favoring Italy's entry on the side of the capitalistic Britain and France was pivotal.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 17:42, 26 April 2009 (EDT)

::Fair enough, but Musso became a significant figure in Italian politics ''after'' WW1, not before or during it. It's incorrect to state that Musso's propaganda in favour of war had any significant effect on the Italian government's decision to attack Austria. [[User:JosephMac|JosephMac]] 18:56, 26 April 2009 (EDT)

:::So you think Mussolini's change in position as the leading socialist and prominent newspaper publisher was ''purely coincidental'' to Italy's subsequent identical change in position as a nation???  No, it wasn't merely coincidental.  Newspapers and activists drive political decisions, my friend.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 20:16, 27 April 2009 (EDT)

::::Regardless of Mussolini's desires or his influence on policy, Italy was NOT a member of the Central Powers at ANY time during World War I, which means the student's answer to the question is incorrect.  The Central Powers were Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria.  Italy fought on the side of the Allied Powers, entering the conflict in 1915.  The fact remains that Italy did not declare war on the Allies nor did it send troops to fight on the side of the Central Powers.