A Personal Account of WWII Background... By Zaira Majonica, a Survivor.
"Before starting with the main subject of your work, I think that as an introduction, it would be interesting to give a summary over the international panorama on politics and economic situation in the world preceding the start of the WWII.
The conditions for the two wars started with the mechanization of the agricultural world and continued with the industrial revolution in G.B. mostly.
Why we have to go backward? A very short explanation could be given. The industrialization of all kind of works means the construction of a lot of new machinery to increase the industry and the benefit for the investors. The consequences were: new jobs, new technical skills, and the increase of education, sanitary conditions for workers, and the rise of populations, who thought to have more opportunity to get a good way of life. The consequences was a wave of expansionism adopted for the most important governments, as G.B., France, Japan, Holland, and Austrian-Hungarian Empire. They were looking for raw material to accomplish the need of their industries and to maintain the internal welfare of population. For this reasons, but not only, colonialism had a great role, taking advantage of poor population and week government. India, China, Africa, Latin America (Mexico), were the main target of colonization. Spain lost the majority of its colonies during this period of time, for internal economic reasons (metallurgy). Among the industries for civil purpose, the industry for the armament had a great development, due to the fact that for maintaining the power over occupied country, the great world powers needed them.
One of the effects of those economic and strategic actions was the rising of union of works for fighting against the abuse of their employers, as poor salaries, too much hours of works (12 to 16 a day), bad conditions and children work. England was one of the first nations that adopted a welfare system for its workers. System that was studied by Marx, who wished to be adopted by German government.
Another was the rising of Communism as political ideology, which was adopted not only for the workers class, but also for many intellectuals’ people.
Other consequences as a reaction to the expansionism abroad, through colonialism and inside Europe by the invasion of neighboring country, was Nationalism, which allowed the establishment of Estate Nation, as we know today.
During the period before WWI, Italy was engaged to build its own identity as a nation.
Only at the north of the peninsula, was established the kingdom of Sardinia, which was composed by Sardinia, Piedmont, Liguria and Nizza, and it was leading by the House of Savoya. During one of the conflict for conquering a part of the peninsula, the king Vittorio Emanuele II of the House of Savoya, for having the support of France against Austria, made a deal with France, he gave in exchange Nizza and Savoya which was part of Piedmont for the assistance during the war for obtaining Lombardy and Venetia (Veneto) .
At the end with the treaty of Turin 1860 Italian Kingdom obtain Lombardy an Austria maintained Venetia(Veneto) and France had Nice (Nizza) and Savoy (Savoya).
Garibaldi in 1861 conquered the kingdom of Two Sicilies (belonging to Spain). The Great Duchies of Tuscany, Modena, Parma, Romagna spontaneously annexed to the new kingdom.
In 1870 Rome was conquered and all the Pope’s estate, and almost all the peninsula was under the kingdom of Italy. Only was under Austria-Hungarian Empire, Trentino- Alto Adige region, Venetia (Veneto), Venezia Giulia, and Dalmatia (ancient possession of Venice).
Way is the major reason for the beginning of the WWI?
One of them was the imperialistic foreign policies of the great powers like the empires of Germany, Russia, Great Britain, Austria-Hungarian ,Ottoman and The French Republic.
As a reaction, Nationalism was earning a large consensus among population that felt unfairly treated and oppressed.
Among these political forces were reached certain agreements called: The Triple Alliance with the participation of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. As a response was building up The Triple Entente with Great Britain, France and Russia ( also called the Allies).
The War started in July 1914 as a response from Austria at the killing of great duchy Ferdinand and his wife in Sarajevo, Serbia, by the hand of a nationalistic Serbian. The Austria-Hungarian forces invaded Serbia.
Italy didn't agree that, because was against the previous agreement in the Triple Alliance. Italy abandoned the Alliance and joined England, France and Russia. In 1917 Russia collapsed because started the Bolshevik revolution (October revolution) and left the war. The USA Entered in the war after several attacks to passenger ships by German Navy, in 1917.
The allies got the victory and the armistice was signed in November 1918. As result four empires were destroyed. The Austria-Hungarian empire and the Ottoman empire
disappeared completely, Germany lost a lot of territories and was obliged to pay the damages caused by the war. The treaty of Versailles is considered one of the causes of the WWII, because none of the estates involved were completely satisfied with the reached agreements.
Germany, Austria, Hungary were obliged to disarm, territorial concessions and a payment for war damaged. The treaty took 4 years to be completely signed.
The final result was the redraw of Europe. Small states were created. Nationalism was the motif for every one of them.
Communism was spreading over Europe, gaining more adepts among poor populations and intellectuals’ too.
The League of Nations was formed to prevent such a terrible conflict.
After WWI Austria adopted the name of Republic of German-Austria in 1919, as an attempt to join its union with Germany, but the Treaty ( a special one as an extension of the Versailles Treaty) of S. Germain forbidden it. In 1938 the German Nazi annexed Austria to Germany.
At the end of the WWI Italy obtained Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Trieste, Gorizia, The Istria peninsula until the Fiume in the Quarnaro Gulf, the Dalmatian territories that included Zara, Cherso, Lussino, Ragusa, and several little islands in front the Dalmatian coast (Abbazia,Brioni.i.e.).
What happened to Italy, after reaching its natural boundaries?
The kingdom of Italy, the government, had several serious internal problems. The political parties couldn't reach any agreement about the solution of the population problems. The soldiers returned from the war at the civil life, didn't have any reward for that, and were left alone. Among many other economic problems, Italy had a hard time. This situation, the weakness of the government, gave the opportunity to Mussolini reach the power, as premier.( La Marcia su Roma)
Mussolini was a school teacher who worked as a journalist (Il Popolo d’Italia) and got involved in political issues and founded his own party or movement the Fascism (Il Fascismo). At the beginning his political orientation was socialism, but slowly became more and more towards a dictatorial system.
Italy was an agricultural country, the production of these goods was part of its foreign trade. Other productions were : Industrial manufacture like fabrics of silk, wool, cotton, line; factories for leather, shoes, bags, paper for art works. Metallurgic industries and mechanical industries . Italy had several shipyard, because its large tradition in marine trade; also had factories for trains and railway and every kind of machinery.
During the fascism was set up all the welfare system that still remains today. Many swamp lands were fixed and sanitized; so in this way was avoided the sickness of malaria.
Italy also had a military industry, but the army was not well equipped; the tanks were not very heavy, the cannons had a short range for reaching aircraft enemy. The Navy was better equipped but without the latest technologies like radar. The aviation didn't have enough aircraft to face a war. Italy wasn't prepared to face a war.
Note: For major information you can enter to the site of Regia Marina Italiana (Navy), Regia Aeronautica Italiana (aviation or air forces), Regio Esercito Italiano (Army). You can have a full view about Italian forces during WWII."
Text from Zaira Majonica, a WWII survivor and witness.
"Before starting with the main subject of your work, I think that as an introduction, it would be interesting to give a summary over the international panorama on politics and economic situation in the world preceding the start of the WWII.
The conditions for the two wars started with the mechanization of the agricultural world and continued with the industrial revolution in G.B. mostly.
Why we have to go backward? A very short explanation could be given. The industrialization of all kind of works means the construction of a lot of new machinery to increase the industry and the benefit for the investors. The consequences were: new jobs, new technical skills, and the increase of education, sanitary conditions for workers, and the rise of populations, who thought to have more opportunity to get a good way of life. The consequences was a wave of expansionism adopted for the most important governments, as G.B., France, Japan, Holland, and Austrian-Hungarian Empire. They were looking for raw material to accomplish the need of their industries and to maintain the internal welfare of population. For this reasons, but not only, colonialism had a great role, taking advantage of poor population and week government. India, China, Africa, Latin America (Mexico), were the main target of colonization. Spain lost the majority of its colonies during this period of time, for internal economic reasons (metallurgy). Among the industries for civil purpose, the industry for the armament had a great development, due to the fact that for maintaining the power over occupied country, the great world powers needed them.
One of the effects of those economic and strategic actions was the rising of union of works for fighting against the abuse of their employers, as poor salaries, too much hours of works (12 to 16 a day), bad conditions and children work. England was one of the first nations that adopted a welfare system for its workers. System that was studied by Marx, who wished to be adopted by German government.
Another was the rising of Communism as political ideology, which was adopted not only for the workers class, but also for many intellectuals’ people.
Other consequences as a reaction to the expansionism abroad, through colonialism and inside Europe by the invasion of neighboring country, was Nationalism, which allowed the establishment of Estate Nation, as we know today.
During the period before WWI, Italy was engaged to build its own identity as a nation.
Only at the north of the peninsula, was established the kingdom of Sardinia, which was composed by Sardinia, Piedmont, Liguria and Nizza, and it was leading by the House of Savoya. During one of the conflict for conquering a part of the peninsula, the king Vittorio Emanuele II of the House of Savoya, for having the support of France against Austria, made a deal with France, he gave in exchange Nizza and Savoya which was part of Piedmont for the assistance during the war for obtaining Lombardy and Venetia (Veneto) .
At the end with the treaty of Turin 1860 Italian Kingdom obtain Lombardy an Austria maintained Venetia(Veneto) and France had Nice (Nizza) and Savoy (Savoya).
Garibaldi in 1861 conquered the kingdom of Two Sicilies (belonging to Spain). The Great Duchies of Tuscany, Modena, Parma, Romagna spontaneously annexed to the new kingdom.
In 1870 Rome was conquered and all the Pope’s estate, and almost all the peninsula was under the kingdom of Italy. Only was under Austria-Hungarian Empire, Trentino- Alto Adige region, Venetia (Veneto), Venezia Giulia, and Dalmatia (ancient possession of Venice).
Way is the major reason for the beginning of the WWI?
One of them was the imperialistic foreign policies of the great powers like the empires of Germany, Russia, Great Britain, Austria-Hungarian ,Ottoman and The French Republic.
As a reaction, Nationalism was earning a large consensus among population that felt unfairly treated and oppressed.
Among these political forces were reached certain agreements called: The Triple Alliance with the participation of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. As a response was building up The Triple Entente with Great Britain, France and Russia ( also called the Allies).
The War started in July 1914 as a response from Austria at the killing of great duchy Ferdinand and his wife in Sarajevo, Serbia, by the hand of a nationalistic Serbian. The Austria-Hungarian forces invaded Serbia.
Italy didn't agree that, because was against the previous agreement in the Triple Alliance. Italy abandoned the Alliance and joined England, France and Russia. In 1917 Russia collapsed because started the Bolshevik revolution (October revolution) and left the war. The USA Entered in the war after several attacks to passenger ships by German Navy, in 1917.
The allies got the victory and the armistice was signed in November 1918. As result four empires were destroyed. The Austria-Hungarian empire and the Ottoman empire
disappeared completely, Germany lost a lot of territories and was obliged to pay the damages caused by the war. The treaty of Versailles is considered one of the causes of the WWII, because none of the estates involved were completely satisfied with the reached agreements.
Germany, Austria, Hungary were obliged to disarm, territorial concessions and a payment for war damaged. The treaty took 4 years to be completely signed.
The final result was the redraw of Europe. Small states were created. Nationalism was the motif for every one of them.
Communism was spreading over Europe, gaining more adepts among poor populations and intellectuals’ too.
The League of Nations was formed to prevent such a terrible conflict.
After WWI Austria adopted the name of Republic of German-Austria in 1919, as an attempt to join its union with Germany, but the Treaty ( a special one as an extension of the Versailles Treaty) of S. Germain forbidden it. In 1938 the German Nazi annexed Austria to Germany.
At the end of the WWI Italy obtained Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Trieste, Gorizia, The Istria peninsula until the Fiume in the Quarnaro Gulf, the Dalmatian territories that included Zara, Cherso, Lussino, Ragusa, and several little islands in front the Dalmatian coast (Abbazia,Brioni.i.e.).
What happened to Italy, after reaching its natural boundaries?
The kingdom of Italy, the government, had several serious internal problems. The political parties couldn't reach any agreement about the solution of the population problems. The soldiers returned from the war at the civil life, didn't have any reward for that, and were left alone. Among many other economic problems, Italy had a hard time. This situation, the weakness of the government, gave the opportunity to Mussolini reach the power, as premier.( La Marcia su Roma)
Mussolini was a school teacher who worked as a journalist (Il Popolo d’Italia) and got involved in political issues and founded his own party or movement the Fascism (Il Fascismo). At the beginning his political orientation was socialism, but slowly became more and more towards a dictatorial system.
Italy was an agricultural country, the production of these goods was part of its foreign trade. Other productions were : Industrial manufacture like fabrics of silk, wool, cotton, line; factories for leather, shoes, bags, paper for art works. Metallurgic industries and mechanical industries . Italy had several shipyard, because its large tradition in marine trade; also had factories for trains and railway and every kind of machinery.
During the fascism was set up all the welfare system that still remains today. Many swamp lands were fixed and sanitized; so in this way was avoided the sickness of malaria.
Italy also had a military industry, but the army was not well equipped; the tanks were not very heavy, the cannons had a short range for reaching aircraft enemy. The Navy was better equipped but without the latest technologies like radar. The aviation didn't have enough aircraft to face a war. Italy wasn't prepared to face a war.
Note: For major information you can enter to the site of Regia Marina Italiana (Navy), Regia Aeronautica Italiana (aviation or air forces), Regio Esercito Italiano (Army). You can have a full view about Italian forces during WWII."
Text from Zaira Majonica, a WWII survivor and witness.