At that time Italy, just after the completion of Italian unity, found herself in great perplexity.  Her treatment of the Pope had brought about the hostility of Roman Catholics throughout the world.  She feared both France and Austria, who were strong Catholic countries, and hardly knew where to look for friends.  The great Italian leader at the time was Francesco Crispi, who, beginning as a Radical and a conspirator, had become a constitutional statesman.  Bismarck professed the greatest friendship for Crispi, and gave Crispi to understand that he approved of Italy’s aspirations on the Adriatic and in Tunis.

The next year, however, at the Berlin Congress, Italy’s interests were ignored, and finally, in 1882, France seized Tunis, to the great indignation of the Italians.  It has been shown in more recent times that the French seizure of Tunis was directly due to Bismarck’s instigation.

The Italians having been roused to wrath, Bismarck proceeded to offer them a place in the councils of the Triple Alliance.  It was an easy argument that such an alliance would protect them against France, and no doubt it was promised that it would free them from the danger of attack by Austria.  England, at the time, was isolated, and Italy continued on the best understanding with her.

The immediate result of the alliance was a growth of Italian hostility toward France, which led, in 1889, to a tariff war on France.  Meanwhile German commercial and financial enterprises were pushed throughout the Italian peninsula.  What did Italy gain by this?  Her commerce was weakened, and Austria permitted herself every possible unfriendly act except open war.

As time went on Germany and Austria became more and more arrogant.  Italy’s ambitions on the Balkan peninsula were absolutely ignored.  In 1908 Austria appropriated Bosnia and Herzegovina, another blow to Italy.  By this time Italy understood the situation well, and that same year, seeing no future for herself in Europe, she swooped down on Tripoli.  In doing this she forestalled Germany herself, for Germany had determined to seize Tripoli.

[Illustration:  How the powers divided northern Africa]

Both Germany and Austria were opposed to this action of Italy, but Italy’s eyes were now open.  Thirty years of political alliance had created no sympathy among the Italians for the Germans.  Moreover, it was not entirely a question of policy.  The lordly arrogance of the Prussians caused sharp antagonism.  The Italians were lovers of liberty; the Germans pledged toward autocracy.  They found greater sympathy in England and in France.

“I am a son of liberty,” said Cavour, “to her I owe all that I am.”  That, too, is Italy’s motto.  When the war broke out popular sympathy in Italy was therefore strongly in favor of the Allies.  The party in power, the Liberals, adopted the policy of neutrality for the time being, but thousands of Italians volunteered for the French and British service, and the anti-German feeling grew greater as time went on.