Figure 1.--This photo was taken in Avellino (a town near Naples in the south) during World War I. It shows peoples liming up to receive American-supplied food, probably soup and bred. (Notice the pots and pales for the soup.) The War was fought in the north, but southern Italy was still affected because so many men were conscripted. The word covered by the flag could be 'Cucina' (kitchen). So the whole sign would be: Croce Rossa Americana / Cucina Economica (American Red Cross / Cheap kitchen). This could be an inexpensive (or more likely free) food distribution center. We do not yet have details on the American food assistance program in Italy.

Italy was still a poor country when it entered World War I. The Government receoived commitments from Britain and France for financial assistance and military equipment. The demands of the War, however, dwarfed the Allied aid. Italy was a still largely agricultural country and Italian farms were not very productive. The poor economic conditions is is why large numbers of Italians were forced to emigrate. (Itallians were one of the major immigrant groups coming to America in the late-19th and early-20th century.) The weak Italian economy was severely stressed by the War. One major problem was that men were the primary family bread wearners. When the Government called up the serves and expanded conscription, this left many families without incomes. To make matters worse, the diversion of agricultural laborers to the Army, affected farm ptodiction. As a result, food prices rose. Inflation became a very serious problem. If the father was killed or badly injured the family was imppverished. Stipeds to soldiers were very low. Middle and Upper class families could generally make do. Poor families which barely survived in the best of times found themselves in very difficult circumstances. Food aid from America was very important in preventing malnutrition. The Italian attitude toward the war was very different than the other beligerant countries. There was nothing like the wave of patriotism that swept over the other beligerants when the War broke out or in America when the United States entered the War. Italy was bitterly divided and the heavy losses only deepned the division in public opinion. The divisions in civilian society were reflected in the Army that Italy fielded for the War. Many Italian peasants and workers saw the state as a represive institution. There were serious disorders in major cities. Anti-war disturbances paralized Milan (May 1917). Bread riots broke out in working-class neighborhoods (August 1917). Army troops took 4 days to quell the riots An estimated 50 demonstrators and 10 soldiers were killed. The war was also unpopular among the men concripted for the War. Not only did many of the conscripts have no commitment to the War, but their provisionn and care was inadequate. Almost one million workers in arms and munitions factories were subjected to military discipline. Nearly 0.5 million Italians resited conscription in one way or another and another 0.3 million committed acts of indiscipline during their military service and this does not count the 0.3 million who actually deserted. By the end of the War, an estimated 1 million Italians faced military tribunals. A post-War amnesty prevented wide-scale juduicial action.

Deal with the Allies

Although Italy had an alliance with Austria-Hungary and Germant, Italy did not enter the War when it brojke out (August 1914). The Italian Governnment studied how Italy could benefit from entering the War. Socialists and Communists opposed Italy's entry into the War. Prine Minister Salandra secretly negotiated the Treaty of London with the Allies without consulting Parliament. King Victor Emanuel backed Salandra and Italy joined the Allies in the War. The Government under the terms of the Treaty of ondoin received commitments from Britain and France for financial assistance and military equipment.

Economy

Italy was still a poor country when it entered World War I, but had made some progressing in in inditrailizing, mostly in the north. The demands of the War, however, dwarfed the Allied aid. Italy was a still largely agricultural country and Italian farms were not very productive. The poor economic conditions is is why large numbers of Italians before the War decided to emigrate. (Itallians were one of the major immigrant groups coming to America in the late-19th and early-20th century.) The weak Italian economy was severely stressed by the War. The War lasted longer than the Italian officials who brought Italy into the War anticipated. And the poor performance of the Italian Army created problems. The prolongation of the war deepened the economic impact. One major problem was that men drafted for the war were the primary family bread earners. When the Government called up the reserves and expanded conscription, this left many families without incomes. There were some economic benefits during the War. Government contracts to big industries helped major corporations significantly expand the engineering and metal working sectors (ILVA, FIAT, Ansaldo, etc.). These companies expanded both in size and technologhical capability. Entering a huge war at the during an industrial expansion resulted in enormous dislocation, Heavy industry responding to governmnt contrcts increased far beyond the needs and capacity of the economy Government spending omcreased dramatically and was primarily financed with borrowed money, primartily foreign loans. Social relations were not string efore the War and werestressed further after the war, affecting political stability. New movements and parties, inclkuding radicak=l grouosd, destabilized the politicsal system, making it difficult to form long lasting governments. Ultimately, Italy's young democracy proved incapable of meeting thechslenge. Benito Mussolini after the Black Shirt March on Rome becane prime minister (1922). In only a few years he turned Itly into a Fascist dictatorship based on the ercomnomic principle of the Corporate State.

Food Production

To make matters worse, the diversion of agricultural laborers to the Army, adversely affected farm ptodiction. As a result, food prices rose.

Inflation

Inflation became a very serious problem. If the father was killed or badly injured the family was impoverished. Declining agricultural production was just one aspect of the infltionary spiral that developed during the War. The Italin Government had to borrow heavily to finance the war effort. World War I broke the Latin Monetary Union created after unification. The result was run-away inflation. Prices increased severalfold.TheItalian inflation rate before the War near zero (1914). Inflation after the War was about 35 percent (1920). [Fratianni and Spinelli, p. 107.]. The inflation was not ended until the Fascist era following the War.

Rationing

We have mnot yet been able to find information on Italian rationing during World War I.

Refugees

Italy was allied with the Central Powers at the onset of the war. The Germans and Austrians wre shocked when the Italians decided to side with the Allies. Lured by the opportunity to gain territory, however, Italy entered the War on the Allied side (May 1915). The Allies not only offered territory, but also promises of financial amd material support. This immediately sent populations in movement, but not the movement of refugees seen in Belgium and France. Rather large numbers of young men fled the Austrian Adriatic populated by ethnic Italians. Austria-Hungary was a multi-ethnic empire and among its various ethnicities were Italians. Some 87,000 ethnic Italians from Trieste, Trento, Dalmatia, and other locations flee to Italy. They wanted ast all cost to avoid escape conscription and service in the Austrian Arm. Many wanted to join up and fight for Italy. Adding to this movement, the Austrian authorities began expelling ethnic Italian civilians (mostly women, children and the elderly) which were of no use to the war effort. Availavle evidence suggests tht 42,000 ethiv Italians were expelled into Italy. A companion measure was to some 52,000 etnic away from the front and relocated to other areas of the Empire. There were also . additionl relocations on based on �national security�. We have less information on this, but apperantlyh several thousand people were involved. The greatest refugee crisis ocurred in the final year of the war. The Germans and Austrians achieved a major break through at Caporetto (October-November 1917). Some 400,000 Italian civilians streamed out of northern Italy into the south to avoid the advancing Austrian-German armies. One million Italian soldiers retreated and with them some 0.5 million civilians. Even before the war, Italy was not self-duffient in food productio. Drafting a massive army, meant concripting large number of agriculturl workers--which of course adversely affected food production. Italy could not have fed its army and the huge influx of civilin refigees. As in mnu oher combatant countries, only American food aid precented mass starvation. The American Red Cross played an importnt role in assisting Italian redugees. The primary role of the Red Cross was to assist the American Expeditionary Force in France, providing services such as assisting POWs, arange of comforyts services, operating abulkances, hosoitalts ectc. The need eass so great, thar the ARC also began helping Allied armies and eventually civilian refugees. The ARC cooperated with the Italian Government to assist the refugees.

Privation

Stipeds to soldiers were very low. Middle and Upper class families could generally make do. Poor families which barely survived in the best of times found themselves in very difficult circumstances. Food aid from America was very important in preventing malnutrition.

American Food Aid

American began to provide food aid to Europe soon after the war began. What began as a small private operation turned into a major national effort conducted by the The United States Food Administration (USFA). first such effort was to prevent starvation in Belgium. The German Army which occupied most of Belgium, seized control of the food stocks in the country. The United States during and after the War would privide food assistance that saved millions of Europeans. This included affter the War both Germany and the Soviet Union. We do not have many details yet on American food assistance to Italy. Italy was a largely agricultural country with some industry in the north. Despite having a largely agricultural economy, Italy was not self sufficent in food production. Once Italy entered the war on the allied side, Italian shipping became U-boat targets. And farm laborers were concripted for the military, sunstantially reducing the rural work force affecting both yields and harvests. This created a growing need for food from overseas. Here you can see food being distrubuted by the American Red Cross at a Croce Rossa Americana / Cucina Economica -- meaning American Red Cross Economic (free or inexpensive) Kitchen (figure 1). The Red Cross was aprivate charity, non-governmental organization (NGO) in modern parlance. The food it distributed, however, came primarily from the U.S. Government USFA. In addition to American Government programs, there was also funds collected in Italian emigrant communities to assist needy Italians. Italians were one of the largest immigrant group at the time, with many people still having close ties to family and friends and thus a strong desire to help.

Division over the War

The Italian attitude toward the war was very different than the other beligerant countries. There was nothing like the wave of patriotism that swept over the other beligerants when the War broke out or in America when the United States entered the War. Italy was bitterky divided and the heavy losses only deepned the division in public opinion.

Civil Disorder

Many Italian peasants and workers saw the state as a represive institution. The War was not the only issue which led to disturbznces in the industrial cities. Strikes became increasingly common. Workers were disturbed not only by conscription, but inflation, food shortages, and Government actions subjecting workers in war industries to military discipline. The social tension was ecacerbated by the fact that the War and fear of U-boat attacks had largely shut down the possiblity of continued emigration. In addition to endemic industrial actions were major civil disorders. There were serious disorders in major cities. Anti-war disturbances paralized Milan (May 1917). Bread riots broke out in working-class neighborhoods (August 1917). Army troops took 4 days to quell the riots An estimated 50 demonstrators and 10 soldiers were killed.

Discent in the Army

The divisions in civilian society were reflected in the Army that Italy fielded for the War. The war was also unpopular among the men concripted for the War. Not only did many of the conscripts have no commitment to the War, but their provisionn and care was inadequate. Almost one million workers in arms and munitions factories were subjected to military discipline. Nearly 0.5 million Italians resited conscription in one way or another and another 0.3 million committed acts of indiscipline during their military service and this does not count the 0.3 million who actually deserted. By the end of the War, an estimated 1 million Italians faced military tribunals. A post-War amnesty prevented wide-scale juduicial action.

Sources

Fratianni, Michele and Franco Spinelli. A Monetary History of Italy.

Created: 8:04 PM 1/27/2009
Last updated: 11:31 AM 1/25/2016