ABSTRACT
The story of the rather muddled and changeable yet at times flamboyant part that Italy played in the First World War, and of the resulting confusion and instability in the immediately post-war period which directly paved the way for the rise of fascism, has often been told, and nowhere more trenchantly than in Denis Mack Smith’s now classic Italy: a Modern History. 1 At first there was much disagreement not only about whether the country should enter the war at all, but even about the side on which she should fight if she did. Despite vehement sabre-rattling by the interventionists (among whom D’Annunzio and Marinetti were conspicuous), neutrality was maintained until early in 1915, when contradictory steps were taken in opposing directions: as a result, for one week Italy managed to be allied to both sides simultaneously. 2 Eventually, however, in May 1915, war was declared against Austria, though not against Germany until August of the following year.
