What Did the Treaty of London Do?

By Alice Nichols

The Treaty of London, also known as the London Pact, was a secret agreement signed on April 26, 1915, between Italy and the Triple Entente during World War I. This treaty played a significant role in shaping the outcome of the war and had a profound impact on European history. Let’s delve deeper into what this treaty did.

Background

At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Italy remained neutral despite being part of the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary. However, Italy had territorial ambitions in Europe and was looking for reasons to switch sides. In 1915, Italy signed a secret treaty with the Triple Entente that promised Italy significant territorial gains in exchange for joining forces with them against Germany and Austria-Hungary.

Terms of the Treaty

The Treaty of London was divided into two parts: political and military. The political part promised Italy extensive territorial gains after the war. These included South Tyrol, Trentino, Istria, Trieste, Dalmatia, most of Albania, and parts of Asia Minor.

The military part obligated Italy to declare war on Austria-Hungary within a month and join forces with the Allies. In return for this commitment, Britain and France promised to provide military support to Italy during the war.

Impact

The Treaty of London had far-reaching implications for Europe. It gave Italy an opportunity to expand its territory beyond what it already had while contributing significantly to the Allies’ effort in defeating Germany and Austria-Hungary.

However, despite being a secret agreement at first, news about its contents leaked out in October 1917 after Russia’s withdrawal from World War I paved the way for Germany to send more troops to fight on other fronts. This led to widespread outrage in Italian society as many felt that they were fighting a war where they were not getting enough in return. The Treaty of London became a source of deep resentment and frustration, contributing to Italy’s post-war political instability.

Conclusion

The Treaty of London was a significant turning point in World War I and Italian history. It allowed Italy to gain significant territorial gains while contributing to the Allies’ effort in defeating the Central Powers.

However, its contents being exposed led to widespread resentment and frustration among Italians, leading to post-war political instability. The Treaty remains an essential document that influenced European history and played an important role in shaping the outcome of World War I.