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Italo-Turkish War (1911-12) - Attacking with fixed bayonets
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Italo-Turkish War (1911-12) - Attacking with fixed bayonets
Italian troops counter-attacking with fixed bayonets. The Italo Turkish War was launched by Italy against Turkey, with the aim of gaining Libya, in order to counterbalance French conquests in North Africa. Part of the general feeding frenzy that surrounded the decline of the Ottoman Empire ( The Sick Man of Europe ). Italy declared war on 29 September 1911, and after preliminary naval bombardments, an Italian naval forces occupied Tobruk (4th October) and Tripoli (5th October). The army, under General Carlo Caneva, took over the occupation on 11th October, and promptly stalled under a combination of skilful Turkish religious propaganda amongst the local population and the caution of Caneva. It was only the next summer, starting in July 1912, that the Italians advanced out of their coastal strongholds, slowly forcing the Turks back, and winning several victories over them. However, it was the threatened outbreak of the First Balkan War that forced Turkey to make peace, and by the Treaty of Ouchy (15th October 1912), Turkey ceded Libya, Rhodes and the Dodecanese islands to Italy
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Media ID 4400279
© Mary Evans/Grenville Collins Postcard Collection
Attack Attacking Bayonets Counter Decline Fixed Italo Libya Libyan Ottoman
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures a pivotal moment during the Italo-Turkish War (1911-12), as Italian troops launch a counter-attack with fixed bayonets. The Italo-Turkish War was a military conflict initiated by Italy against the Ottoman Empire, with the primary objective of seizing Libya and counterbalancing French territorial gains in North Africa. The war was a manifestation of the general scramble for territories that characterized the decline of the Ottoman Empire, often referred to as the 'Sick Man of Europe.' Italy declared war on Turkey on September 29, 1911, and following preliminary naval bombardments, Italian naval forces occupied Tobruk on October 4 and Tripoli on October 5. General Carlo Caneva led the army in taking over the occupation on October 11. However, the Italians faced significant resistance from the local population, who were swayed by Turkish religious propaganda, and Caneva's cautious approach resulted in a stalemate. The situation changed in the summer of 1912, when the Italians began advancing out of their coastal strongholds, gradually pushing back the Turks and securing several victories. However, it was the looming threat of the First Balkan War that ultimately forced Turkey to make peace. The Treaty of Ouchy, signed on October 15, 1912, ceded Libya, Rhodes, and the Dodecanese islands to Italy. This photograph offers a glimpse into the intense and brutal nature of the conflict, as Italian soldiers charge forward with fixed bayonets, ready to engage in hand-to-hand combat. The image serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of the colonial ambitions and geopolitical maneuverings that characterized the early 20th century.
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