The Austrian-Italian conflict in Mediterranean and Adritic seas in 1911: A Historical and Legal study

Abstract

The unification of Italian states in 1869 represents the point at which Italy set out to enter the colonial domain .in fact , it had no options other than Tripoli of the west and Barqa in Northern Africa . Perhaps the geographical proximity was the main drive for it to move and demand its colonial share in Northern Africa . Italy moved to occupy Tripoli during the second half of 1911 after obtaining explicit and implicit consent by all the powerful European states , which gave rise to political and military conflicts between Italy and the Ottoman Empire . On the other hand , Italy entered into serious conflict with its ally Austria – Hungary ; the conflict that at one point was about to be escalated to a war . Austria had often tried to dater Italy from resorting to military action , but it failed . The political dispute between Italy and Austria re-errupted after the attack by the Italian Navy on the Albanian port of Previsa and the eastern coasted of the Adriatic sea . This could have developed into a military conflict , but Italy halted its hostile military actions in the Lonian sea and the Adriatic sea lest it should enter another war with Austria when it was already in undecided war with the Ottoman Empire . Overlooked by the great European powers , the Italian invasion of Tripoli of the west and Barqa was the starting point of more Italian military actions that reached the Southern Coast of Europe despite its previous pledges to limit them to the coast opposite Tripoli . Consequently , the Italian government was severely criticized by many European powers and its position on the European level became weak . Italy was accused of disrespect to the conditions and timings of war declaration and breaching the international law ( when it did not abide by its previous pledges stipulated in the Hague two peace agreements ) .