The reasons that led Italy to the war with Turkey can be summarized in these few reasons: an alleged right on Libya in the name of an ancient historical connection with the Roman Empire's strategic interests to prevent the exclusive control by England and France in the Mediterranean and divert the bulk of immigrants in a territory under Italian control.
government were to insist on the economic interests of private entities, such as the Banco di Roma wanted to build commercial and industrial facilities.
The war was supposed to expand into the vast territories in the possession of Turkey, as the European zone in the Balkans and the Middle East. Because
interests of Austria and Russia Italians in the Balkans could not operate.
in the Middle East but for logistical reasons and for some British and French interests Italians were confined to a naval blockade and a show of force in the port of Beirut on the Dardanelles and 24/02/1912 and 19/07/1912 18.
In the Red Sea instead of the sea with a squadron tried to prevent the flow of supplies of arms through Sudan, and small military missions in the Arabian Peninsula to bring weapons to the rebels of the turkish government. So
ground operations took place only in the territory of Tripoli, Cyrene and jobs on the island of Rhodes and 11 other smaller islands in the Aegean Sea. I work was the first to marine October 2 bombarded the forts of Tripoli and the five sailors who had landed about 1700 occupied the town, defended by the Turks until October 11, when he began the first landing of the expeditionary force, which lasted until 16, because of rough seas. On 4
some departments of the navy seized the port of Tobruk.
On 19 October the 4th and the 63rd regiment landed on the beach a few miles from Benghazi Giugliani that was occupied for the evening of 20.
From 19 to 25 landed at Derna on 22 th regiment, battalion Alpine "Saluzzo" and a company of engineers. The
21 after several days of naval bombardment of the 8th Regiment riflemen landed at Homs. The
23, Turkish and Arab forces attacked across the Italian defensive line in Tripoli, so avid areas and Henni Sciat Sciara, which were attacked from behind by Arab insurgents considered peaceful or indifferent to the situation. It took the 24 and 25 to restore order within the oasis.
On the morning of 26 new energetic attack hit the front southeast of Tripoli defended by the 11 th Regiment riflemen, a company of marine, from 84 º, 82 º and a battalion of the 63 th Infantry Regiment, which with great difficulty managed to maintain positions ,
but for lack of reinforcements, it was decided to move back to the front.
Only a month after November 26 brigade composed of 23 °, 52 ° and 50 ° Infantry Regiment, making a wide turn to the south of Messri headed for the fort, while the 3rd Division consists of riflemen from the 11th Regiment, 18th, 93rd Infantry Regiment and a battalion of grenadiers, advanced front of the fort Henni. Was excavated across the oasis, inch by inch to find the Arab insurgents who were hiding and evening all objectives were achieved, so the old reoccupied positions that had been abandoned a month earlier.
In the area of \u200b\u200bHoms on October 23 were occupied the heights of Mergheb, but now armed Arabs began a series of attacks that became worse after 28 defenses of the settlement. It reinforced the
departments with more troops, but had to abandon in order to better defend Merghed Homs.
In Benghazi, the Italian troops with daring reconnaissance offensive continued to maintain contact with the enemy.
On 28 November a column of three battalions of the 26th infantry regiment, two squadrons of cavalry and a battery stepped on Coef where he clashed with large units of armed Arabs, the column retreated to Bangasi inflicting casualties to the enemy.
On November 30 and December 1 of the Arab-turkish tried other violent attacks on the defensive lines of Tripoli who were apprehended by the Italian trenches and the pitches of naval artillery.
Therefore it was decided to occupy the area of \u200b\u200bAin Zara from where all the main enemy attacks.
On December 4 in the pouring rain, they left three columns: the first right, the main was composed of ten battalions, two squadrons of cavalry, four batteries of mountain and two companies of the genius who had to attack the camp of Ain Zara by turkish west side.
The second one with four battalions and a mountain battery was to attack the center to take the opposing forces employed by facilitating the activities of the first column.
The third column of two battalions of infantry, but had to act on the left toward the position called the furnaces. Advanced
proceeded regularly succeeded in expelling the enemy from the area.
10 and 11 December, the 3rd Division headed for Tadjoura along the east coast with three columns, while a fourth column, starting from the south reached Ain Zara Tadjoura. On 13
the oasis was permanently occupied by the 93 th Regiment, by some men of the 11th squadron of cavalry and riflemen. A
Tobruk only in early December defenses were reinforced with two infantry battalions, a mountain of "Ivrea", 14 pieces of artillery, 75, a mountain battery and a battery 149. On 22 December
armed opponents attacked the security departments in the construction of which is reduced strenuously defended until help arrives, which drove the enemy.
With the start of the new year, the Italian army was strengthened Feb. 27 allowing the occupation of the heights of Mergheb.
The advance was carried out at 6 am on three pillars: the 8th Regiment riflemen on the left, 89 th Infantry Battalion and the mountain "Mondovì" in the center and the 6th and the 37th Infantry Regiment on the right. After a silent march undisturbed and Italian troops attacked with violent attacks to combat the enemy's positions involved right from the early morning hours.
Throughout the month of February the Turks carry out various small acts of disturbance at the front of Derna and 12 implement a major attack with 4,000 tanks, which was rejected by the Italian defenses.
On March 3, the turkish-Arabs with a violent attack carried out against the Italian troops deployed in the valley of Wadi Bu Masafer put in serious difficulty hearing of Derna, only with the arrival of some battalions and artillery reinforced the danger was averted.
In the area of \u200b\u200bBenghazi, the situation was quiet until March 12 when enemy forces armed with strong 5000 came before the city.
The Italians attacked, sending a strong column of seven battalions, two batteries of the country, three batteries of mountain, three squadrons of cavalry and a division of Savaria (the first cavalry native Italian in the service), the fight took place in the town of Two Palms. After a fierce combat the enemy was forced to retire and brought this action from the Turkish side to give up major operations in the area of \u200b\u200bBenghazi.
To solve the problem of smuggling of arms from Tunisia by turkish-Arab command decided to make a landing in Zuara, but then for various reasons it was decided between 11 and 14 April to land the 5th special division on the peninsula El Faru in the resort of Ras El Macabez.
was occupied the small Turkish Bu Chemmasc which served as support to control the inner streets of the smuggling.
On April 23, while the Italian troops were working to accommodate the new base, the enemy attack with violence, but was stopped before by artillery and then chased by a counterattack that caused serious losses.
was later expanded the area occupying the heights of Sidi Said Sidi Ali on June 28 and July 14. For more
threaten Turkey decided to take April 26 with units of Navy Island Stampalia which served as a base for naval operations in the area of \u200b\u200bthe southern Aegean. Instead
4 May a special division landed in Rhodes, where in 1500 the Turks retreated toward the center of the island in defense.
On May 15, three columns of Italian troops departed from the city of Rhodes to attack the Turks.
, 57 º, 34 th Infantry Regiment and two batteries of campaign starting from the city walked to the center of the island, the 4th regiment of riflemen with machine guns landed in two sections to the west Kalavarda the island and they also marched towards the interior, while a battalion landed east of Alpine in the bay of Molon, climbed the steep walls always toward the center of the island surrounding the enemy Psithos that was defeated after several attacks and bombings artillery. Meanwhile
departments navy landed in other islands of Karpathos, Case, Piscopo, Nisiro, Lero, Calin, Kos, Simi and Clchi because they occupy all the southern islands of the Sporades.
In order to ensure control of the coast is thought to attack Zanzur which was defended by turkish-Arabs, who built a number of trenches and shelters armored file.
On May 17, was executed a fake attack, while the July 8 the 1st Division attack supported by artillery naval front, the 3rd Division in reserve Turkish controlled areas outside the oasis.
With a bayonet assault supported by artillery fire all the enemy trenches were captured, falling into Italian hands all the robust defense system Zanzur.
But to expand on the east coast of Tripoli on June 15th the 1st special division consists of seven infantry battalions, two battalions of Alpine troops, a squadron of cavalry, three batteries of mountain, a field battery, the rates of other departments and services ; landed at Sidi Bu Sceifa and 16 advanced to the edge of the oasis of Ras Zarrugh measured. The information
held by the Italians, Misurata was defended by 4000 Arabs and 100 Turkish Regular, so he decided to wait for the Italian base in Sidi Bu Sceifa was solid and well stocked.
The July 8 attack was effected on the sides of the oasis overwhelming the defensive trenches turkish-occupied Arab Zarrugh first village in the afternoon and the city of Misurata.
After the conquest of the oasis in part to some shootings, the area remained quiet until 25 August when large groups of armed men attacked off guard convoys from the port of Sidi Bu Sceifa supplying measured, with the arrival of reinforcements Arab opponents were rejected.
On July 18 the navy after reinforced its naval base in the island of Stampalia, came in with a squadron of five torpedo boats in the Dardanelles, and under fire from strong defensive reached the Bay of Kavala, where he was forced to back down under fire intense rehearsing the strong.
damage suffered by the team were minimal, but from the standpoint of propaganda was a great success.
the night of 4 and 5 August a brigade composed of 34th and 57th Infantry Regiment, a battalion of mountain and some units of artillery and engineering landed east of Zuara, and from Sidi Ali left a column that met in Zuara that in the meantime was abandoned by the enemy. The
a column of 15 August, ten battalions, two squadrons of cavalry and four batteries moves up from Zuara Regdaline occupying with ease.
in September for logistical reasons the area was divided into two operational commands: the first and second Tripoletania in Cyrenaica.
to consolidate control of the area around Tripoli had to do to free the area from enemy forces still hiding in the oasis of Zanzur.
With a division reinforced by a brigade is completely occupied the oasis of Sidi Bilal Zanzur el'altura, while rejecting any enemy counterattack.
With this victory eliminated any resistance turkish-Arab in the area of \u200b\u200bTripoli. After all these victories
Italian made it clear to Turkey now that the war could not be won, plus Turkey was also involved in other serious problems, such as the Arab revolt in the Yemen border and disagreements with the Balkan states.
So after several meetings between Italian and Turkish delegations at Ouchy, near Lausanne in Switzerland, under pressure from the European powers fear from a European war, was signed October 18, 1912 a peace treaty where the Turks recognized Italian sovereignty over Libya and temporarily on the islands of the Aegean.
The war officially ended with Turkey but the fighting continued for several more years.
forces used
The Corps Special (Gen.Caneva) consisted of two divisions - each of 2 brigades of 2 regiments of infantry, two squadrons cavalry, 1 artillery regiment on 4 x 75-A, a sapper company with park, roadways and services divisional someggiati.
There were so-called "supplementary troops" consisting of: two regiments of riflemen with machine-gun section, a mountain artillery regiment on 4 batteries, a group of two companies of artillery fortress, a sapper battalion of two companies with a park, telegraph companies with park , 4 wireless stations from the field, track and someggiati services.
Intendenza and services 2 nd line without any means of transport (except a special column carts).
Total: 34,000 men, 6,300 animals, 1,050 wagons, 48 \u200b\u200bguns from the country, 24 mountain guns.
After the first operation was necessary to send additional troops consisting of: 2 splitters ", 7 brigades and a regiment of infantry, a regiment of riflemen, six battalions of Alpine, 8 squadrons of cavalry, 11 batteries 75A and 6 x 75 mod. 1906, 8 Mountain Battery, 7 companies of fortress artillery, sappers 5 companies, 4 companies, miners, a telegraph company, an aerostatic section and a core of aviation, as rates of logistics services.
Total: 55,000 men, 8300 animals, 154 guns, 1,500 tanks and 137 trucks.
From January to October 1912 were still left four other battalions of Alpine, 7 Eritrean battalions and a squadron Mehari, plus thousands of accessories to fill losses in combat and discharged soldiers of the classes 1888 and 1889.
