Italy gets western Balkans

[Musketeer513]

What if Austria-Hungary makes a deal with Italy before The Great War breaks out. The Austro-Hungarians drop their stance against Italy in the southern Adriatic. When and if war breaks out with Serbia; Albania,, Montenegro and Serbia will be given to Italy and Italy will participate in war against Serbia. If France and Russia intervene; Congess Poland goes to Austria-Hungary and Tunisia, Corsica, Nice and Savoy go to Italy.

 

[Aphrodite]

After the CP win the war, the Austrians find out how useless this deal is when the Prussians take Poland for themselves. In fact, with the French and the Russians defeated, the Austrians might find out that they are now expendable as no one needs them anymore and the Italians and Romanians still want chunks of Austria

 

[Michele]

Let's hope not.

 

[lionhead]

Italy didn't really have any claim on those regions did it? the Balkans wasn't in their spehere of influence except for Dalmatia and Albania.

I mean, thats imperialism at its worst and it going to cause a whole lot more problems than Yugoslavia did OTL. Basically you are wishing a whole lot of death and destruction upon those people.

I think italy's interests lay more in Turkish lands.

 

[Michele]

Italy didn't really have any claim on those regions did it? the Balkans wasn't in their spehere of influence except for Dalmatia and Albania.

I mean, thats imperialism at its worst and it going to cause a whole lot more problems than Yugoslavia did OTL. Basically you are wishing a whole lot of death and destruction upon those people.

And upon Italy and Italians in the Balkans. There's a reason for my reaction above.

 

[yourworstnightmare]

What if Austria-Hungary makes a deal with Italy before The Great War breaks out. The Austro-Hungarians drop their stance against Italy in the southern Adriatic. When and if war breaks out with Serbia; Albania,, Montenegro and Serbia will be given to Italy and Italy will participate in war against Serbia. If France and Russia intervene; Congess Poland goes to Austria-Hungary and Tunisia, Corsica, Nice and Savoy go to Italy.

Why would Italy choose Montenegro and Serbia over Trentino, Trieste and Gorizia, i.e. places with considerable Italian speaking populations?

 

[Aphrodite]

Italy didn't really have any claim on those regions did it? the Balkans wasn't in their spehere of influence except for Dalmatia and Albania.

I mean, thats imperialism at its worst and it going to cause a whole lot more problems than Yugoslavia did OTL. Basically you are wishing a whole lot of death and destruction upon those people.

I think italy's interests lay more in Turkish lands.

Italy had always been interested in the Balkans. Albania was a major source of contention between Italy and Austria as it would mean control over the Adriatic

Why would Italy choose Montenegro and Serbia over Trentino, Trieste and Gorizia, i.e. places with considerable Italian speaking populations?

The Italians would choose Balkan expansion if they thought the Austro-Germans were going to win

 

[yourworstnightmare]

The Italians would choose Balkan expansion if they thought the Austro-Germans were going to win

The Italians were OTL negotiating entry on the Central Powers side (they had been a Central Power before the war), but even then the price for entry was Italian speaking border regions from Austria. They are not going to fight on the same side as Austria without concessions.

 

[lionhead]

Italy had always been interested in the Balkans. Albania was a major source of contention between Italy and Austria as it would mean control over the Adriatic




The Italians would choose Balkan expansion if they thought the Austro-Germans were going to win

But they wanted Trentino and South Tyrol much harder than anything in the Balkans. They also wanted Antalya. A lot more they wanted was in CP control, thats why they joined the Entente. Giving them Serbia doesn't cut it i think. Maybe Savoy and Corsica promised will tip the balance, but not lands in the Balkans.

 

[Aphrodite]

The Italians were OTL negotiating entry on the Central Powers side (they had been a Central Power before the war), but even then the price for entry was Italian speaking border regions from Austria. They are not going to fight on the same side as Austria without concessions.

But they wanted Trentino and South Tyrol much harder than anything in the Balkans. They also wanted Antalya. A lot more they wanted was in CP control, thats why they joined the Entente. Giving them Serbia doesn't cut it i think. Maybe Savoy and Corsica promised will tip the balance, but not lands in the Balkans.

Of course Italy preferred the Austrian territories. But if they can't get them but they can get Albania and North Africa, then Trentino and South Tyrol might have to wait. You take what you can get

If Austria and Germany appear likely to win and that's the offer on the table, the Italians might well take it or they can stay neutral and get nothing

 

[Musketeer513]

When I first posted, Austria would make a deal later about Italian areas in Austria. Italy did have ambitions in the Balkans but for Austria-Hungary having ItLy acquire those lands removes a big part of their southern Slav problem. With autonomy the Croats would be happy.