Forgotten Prelude: Italo-Turkish War of 1911–12

Italian Troops in Libya, 1911

 An event in 1911 in North Africa had a great impact on the  coming world war. The entry of Turkey on the side of the Central Powers in October 1914 shifted the balance of forces and led to the Middle East being a drain on the resources of the Allies. That decision by the "Young Turks" was made to arrest the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire. One of the disasters that befell the empire's ruling cadre unfolded in Libya a century ago. War was undertaken by Italy to gain colonies in North Africa by conquering the Turkish provinces of Tripolitana and Cyrenaica (modern Libya). 

Ottoman Officers Mustafa Kemal (left) and
Nuri Conker at the Front

At the turn of the 20th century, Ottoman rule in North African was limited to Libya, following French seizure of Algeria in 1830 and Tunisia in 1883. Around the same time, the new republic of Italy–largely excluded from the race to colonize Africa–received French carte blanche for operating in Libya. "Italy's Fourth Shore," as they called  the country, began seeing an influx of Italian commercial interests, though with no attempt at direct control. 

This changed in 1911, when Italy declared war on the Ottoman Empire to "recover" the territory. Using the pretext of the infringement of Italian interests in the two provinces, the Italian government issued an ultimatum to Turkey on 28 September 1911 and on the next day declared war. Italian forces quickly occupied the towns of Tripoli, Darnah (Derna), and Banghāzī (Benghazi), but unexpected resistance on the part of the Muslim population forced the Italian commander General Carlo Caneva to confine operations to the coastal areas. 

Birth of Aerial Bombardment
An Italian Dirigible Bombs a Turkish Position

In May 1912, Italian naval forces occupied Rhodes and some of the Dodecanese islands off the Turkish coast, but the war remained at a stalemate until a successful Italian offensive in North Africa from July to October 1912. Turkey, now menaced by the Balkan states, sought peace. Preoccupied with the Empire's pending disintegration—the Young Turk leadership de facto recognized Italy's unilateral annexation of the territories by granting it autonomy.

Surrender of the Ottoman Garrison on Rhodes 

By the terms of the Treaty of Lausanne (also called Treaty of Ouchy; 18 October 1912), Turkey conceded its rights over Tripoli and Cyrenaica to Italy. Although Italy agreed to evacuate the Dodecanese, its forces continued to occupy the islands. More  humiliations were to follow in the Balkan wars of 1912–13 that would make them susceptible to the promise of a restoration supported by a victorious Germany.  Turkish involvement in the 1914 European War, would be the largest factor in turning the struggle into a world war.