Let's journey back to early 20th-century Italy, where spaghetti meets political unrest and national identity crises.

• National Identity: Still in the making.
  • Loyalty Test: Italians favored their regions over the newly formed country.
• Religious Drama:
  • The Plot: Italy snatched the Papal States in 1870. So, the pope threw shade and didn't recognize the Italian state.
  • The Result: Italian Catholics felt like they were in a telenovela—caught between political citizenship and religion.
• Economy: North vs South Showdown
  • North: Industrial hub.
  • South: All about the farm life. But they struggled with poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition.
• Colonization Attempt:
  • Target: Africa (before WWI).
  • Achievement: Limited gains in Libya, Eritrea, and part of Somaliland.
  • Outcome: No big resources or bragging rights.

🍕 Real-World Analogy: Imagine craving a four-cheese pizza but getting only a slice of plain cheese pizza. Italy's colonization felt somewhat like that.

• Starting Position: Neutral.
• Partnership: With Central Powers, but then changed teams in 1915.
• Deal: Treaty of London. Italy was eyeing some lands and possible gains in Africa.

• Losses: Italy didn't get Dalmatia; it went to Yugoslavia. Italy also didn't get any ex-German colonies.
• Feelings: Frustration! Italy felt like they aced the exam (WWI) but failed the course (post-war treaties).

🍦 Real-World Analogy: It's like you ordered an ice cream cone, but someone else gets the cherry on top (Dalmatia) and you're left with plain vanilla.

• Extra Demands: Italy wanted places like the port of Fiume, not part of the original deal.