The capital of Italy, Rome, due to the presence of the Holy See in Vatican City, had become a place of pilgrimage for Catholics from around the world. However, the relationship between the Italian government and the Vatican was far from harmonious.
Before the unification of Italy, the Papal States had ruled the central part of the peninsula. The French Second Empire had provided security guarantees to the Papal States. Unfortunately, the fall of the French Empire during the Franco-Prussian War led to the Sardinian Kingdom's direct occupation of the Papal States. The Pope was driven into the small enclave of Vatican City, and much of the wealth once belonging to the Church fell into the hands of the Sardinian Kingdom.
To this day, the Italian monarchy remained highly unpopular in Vatican City.
King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy, at that moment, was praying fervently in his royal palace, asking God for the hope that the United Fleet might triumph in the naval battle against the German Navy. If that were to happen, perhaps they could secure a dignified peace. It would be far more beneficial, he thought, if he could pray in Vatican City itself, but he knew that was impossible.
Italy's performance in the Great War had been abysmal. The Italian army had been battered in the Alps by the Austro-Hungarian and German forces, suffering heavy losses. They were forced to abandon their offensive against the Austro-Hungarian Empire and fall into a defensive posture. In truth, Italy's only contribution to the war had been to tie down a portion of the Austro-Hungarian forces.
However, the course of the war shifted unexpectedly. The seemingly doomed Central Powers were suddenly revitalized, racking up one victory after another. One great nation after another fell to the might of Germany. Soon, it would be Italy's turn. In terms of military strength, Italy had no chance of victory, but they could not accept defeat. So when the British proposed the formation of a United Fleet to defeat the German Navy and grasp a slim chance of survival, Italy immediately agreed.
The Italian government harbored great hopes for this battle. If they succeeded, the crisis would be averted, and they could negotiate a respectable peace. If they failed, however, it would be the end of everything.
What weighed most heavily on King Vittorio Emanuele III was Italy's betrayal of the Central Powers to join the Allies. Originally, they were a member of the Central Powers! Despite their conflicts with Austria-Hungary, these were mere disputes over interests, not irreconcilable differences. Had they stayed with the Central Powers, they would now be among the victors, celebrating their triumph. There would have been no need for the fear and anxiety they now faced, and they would have been able to share in the spoils of victory.
Now, however, not only did they have no share in the rewards, but they had to sacrifice their own interests as well. The contrast was stark, and King Vittorio Emanuele III found himself consumed by regret.
"Damn Giovanni Giolitti. It was because of him that the kingdom betrayed the Central Powers. Otherwise, we would have been cheering for victory by now!" King Vittorio Emanuele III bit out bitterly.
Giovanni Giolitti, the former Prime Minister, was the one who had led Italy into betraying the Central Powers and joining the Allies. Yet, it seemed that King Vittorio Emanuele III had forgotten that he, too, had been lured by the many temptations offered by the British and the French. Indeed, as the king, he bore the ultimate responsibility for the decision.
But shifting blame to a subordinate was, after all, a time-honored tradition for monarchs.
"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Salandra is here," a servant announced.
"Very well, let him in," the king responded.
Prime Minister Antonio Salandra entered the room.
"Prime Minister, have we received any news of the naval battle?" King Vittorio Emanuele III asked anxiously.
"Your Majesty, there is no news yet. Lord Francesco is stationed at the Ministry of the Navy and will report immediately once there is any update," replied Prime Minister Salandra.
King Vittorio Emanuele III sighed in relief. No news, perhaps, was the best news. At least it meant they hadn't yet received any reports of defeat.
"Do we have a chance of defeating the Germans in this battle?" King Vittorio Emanuele III asked, his eyes filled with hope.
"Your Majesty, it is difficult to say. I am not a naval officer, and my understanding of naval warfare is limited. However, judging from the balance of forces, our navy is not vastly inferior to Germany's. With good fortune, defeating the Germans is not entirely out of the question," Prime Minister Salandra responded.
King Vittorio Emanuele III nodded, "I pray that God may bless the Kingdom of Italy."
"Ah, if only we had known. We should never have betrayed the Central Powers for a handful of promises. Now, we must pay the price for our actions," King Vittorio Emanuele III lamented, his face clouded with despair. Regret consumed him, but there was no remedy. No matter how much he wished for a different outcome, it was now far too late.
"Your Majesty, please do not say such things. After all, the decision was made in the best interest of the Kingdom of Italy. At the time, everyone believed that the Germans would be defeated. The British, French, and Russians were simply too powerful. Who could have foreseen that the Central Powers would come back so decisively and claim victory?" Prime Minister Salandra said sympathetically.
Had they been given a chance to choose again, they would likely have stayed with the Central Powers. In that case, they would have followed the Germans, reaping some of the benefits of their victory. Though Germany would have claimed the lion's share of the spoils, even a small portion of the rewards would have been preferable to the uncertainty and fear they now faced.
"Yes, I made that decision for the good of the Kingdom of Italy," King Vittorio Emanuele III said, feeling a sense of comfort in the reasoning. Though he had made a mistake, it had been a mistake made with the nation's best interests at heart—surely that was understandable. And with that thought, he felt a small measure of relief.