Interventisti

Interventisti were Italian political actors and public figures who supported Italy’s entry into World War I on the side of the Entente Powers. The term emerged during the 1914–1915 debate between those who favored intervention and those who urged neutrality (neutrali). Interventionists argued that Italy’s national interests and irredenta claims required active participation in the war to secure territorial and prestige gains.

The movement gained momentum as negotiations with the Entente culminated in the secret Treaty of London (April 1915), in which Italy was promised territorial rewards in exchange for joining the war against Austria-Hungary. Following this agreement, Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary on 23 May 1915. The interventionist camp included liberal and nationalist politicians, as well as writers and journalists who mobilized public opinion in favor of war to realize Italy’s territorial aims in Trentino, Tyrol, Istria, and Dalmatia.

Prominent proponents ranged from political leaders such as Prime Minister Antonio Salandra and Foreign Minister Sidney Sonnino to cultural figures like the nationalist poet Gabriele D’Annunzio. The interventionist stance helped propel Italy into the conflict and shaped wartime mobilization and diplomacy. The postwar settlement, despite satisfying some promises, also generated nationalist dissatisfaction that influenced later political currents, including the rise of nationalist and fascist movements in the 1920s.

Today, the term interventisti is primarily used in historical contexts to describe those who urged and justified Italy’s wartime intervention in World War I, contrasting with neutrali who advocated staying out of the conflict.