ITALY
The king of Italy is Victor Emmanuel III, whose rule began in 1900. The products are fruits, rice, wheat, silk, olives, marble, etc. Naples is the largest city, and has varied manufactures.
Previous to 1859 Italy was divided into separate states. In 1870 Victor Emmanuel, king of Sardinia, united Italy and made Rome the national capital. Austria tried to thwart this movement. England and France were friendly to Italy at that time, and Germany was neutral.
ALLIANCES
The Triple Alliance was formed by Bismarck, after the Franco-Prussian War. Its object was to strengthen Germany and isolate France. A dual league was made in 1879 between Austria and Germany, which Italy joined in 1880. By this alliance the nations intended to aid each other in defense. Bismarck wanted Russia in the league, but trouble in the Balkans broke off this project.
Soon after France formed a league with Russia. Bismarck fell from power in 1890, but the Triple Alliance was still stronger than its rival, until France brought England into the Triple Entente, agreeing to give England a free hand in Egypt in return for the same in Morocco.
STRATEGY
The German attack on France is weakened by the fact that Italy did not act with the other members of the Triple Alliance, as a diverting attack from the south would divide the French defense. From the map it is easy to see why Germany advanced through Belgium, in spite of the fact that Germany, in 1878, had been one of the powers to guarantee Belgium's neutrality, because the mountains bordering France from the Alps to Verdun were strongly fortified, while the approach from Belgium was not.
It is also clear that Russia was compelled to establish her position along the Carpathian Mountains before advancing on Berlin—so that a northward movement from Austria-Hungary might not cut her line of communication.