Italo-Turkish War (TURKO-ITALIAN WAR - 1912)
Above: Map during Trablusgarp Savasi
In Italy this war between Turkey and Italy was known as Guerra di Libia or The Libyan War and in Turkey as Trablusgarp Savasi. It was a conflict between the Ottoman Turks and Italy. Lasting from 29th September to 18th October it is also known in history as The Tripolitan War.
Above: Italian soldiers firing against enemy Turks at Tripoli
Libya at that time consisted of the Turkish provinces of Tripolitania and Cyremaoca together with Rhodes Island and the archipelago of Dodecanese, with a Greek speaking population, near Anatolia. Italy seized these regions from the Ottoman Turks.
Above: Italian soldiers standing over dead bodies of Arab soldiers who defend Libya
Apparently the incident seemed to be minor but it was a just a forerunner to World War I. The event ignited nationalist passions in the Balkans. The ease with which the Ottomans crumbled under Italian aggression egged on Balkan ambitions. The latter attacked the Turks even before the end of the war with Italy.
Above: Italian aircraft, Bleriot XI taking off to inspect the battlefield
Secondly the war highlighted several technological improvements in the field of combat. It was especially so as regards air power. An Italian plane flew over Turkish strongholds and the dropping of the first aerial bomb in military history followed this on Libya.
Above: Italian first aerial attack using dirigible airships in bombing Turkish position and territory
When war broke out the Italian army was not quite ready. An Italian fleet appeared near Tripoli but could begin bombardments only after a lapse o f four days. Italy rejected Turkish overtures for a diplomatic settlement, which made the latter gear up for a defense of the region.
Above: Fantasy shot of Captain Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
An Italian unit consisting of 20,000 landed on 10th October and with ease took over Derna and Homs. But Benghazi proved to be difficult. The overconfident Italians were encircled by fast moving Arab horsemen near Tripoli on 23rd October, supported by regular Turkish troopers. The Italian tried to pass it off as an ordinary revolt but in reality the Italian expeditionary corps came very near to the verge of total extermination. Hurriedly the corps was expanded to 100,000 to face 20,000 Arabs and 8,000 Turks. After landing at Tobruk, supported by sporadic air power the Italians marched inwards and hardly faced any opposition. However the tide turned in favour of the Turks when Captain Mustafa Kemal Ataturk took over the leadership and reorganized the set up. On 22nd December victory went to Ataturk and his men at the Battle of Tobruk on 6th March 1912.
Above: Powerful battleship of Italy, Battleship Dante Alighieri
Italy had taken control of only some coastal regions but nevertheless by a decree in the first week of November a declaration was made stating Italy’s suzerainty over Libya. In reality the locals, except in Tripoli, besieged the Italian troops. But wherever it could Italy undertook extreme measures including public hangings. The total naval supremacy of Italy all along the 2,000 coastline with Libya gave it the edge. In July 1912 Italian torpedo boats became active in the Dardanelles.
Above: Map of Aegean Sea and its Islands
The other powers were anxious to bring to a close the war that was going on for a much longer time than they had expected. They supported Italian operations against Turkish controlled regions in the Aegean Sea where twelve islands were taken over. This raised the suspicions of the Austro-Hungarian Empire who feared that Serbia and Greece would begin to nurse ambitions. This would lead to a tilting of the balance of power in Balkans, which was in any case far from stable. In September Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece got ready for war against the Turks. In October Montenegro joined the war cry taking advantage of the Ottoman Empire’s involvement with Italy. Thus started the Balkan War.
Above: Map and borders of Anatolia (Asian part of Turkey) after the Treaty of Lausanne (click map to enlarge)
Italy was not far behind in trying to squeeze out satisfactory peace terms from the Sick Man of Europe - Turkey. At the Treaty of Lausanne on 18th October 1912, the Turks retained only a formal suzerainty over Libya, which got an autonomous position under the judiciary of Kadis elected by the Sultan of Turkey.