<P> While the central bureaucracy was overwhelmed and under - led, Fallows shows that localities sprang into action motivated by patriotism, pragmatism, economic self - interest, and partisan politics . Food distribution was the main role of the largest network, called the "Union of Zemstvos ." It also set up hospitals and refugee stations . </P> <P> Italy decided not to honor its Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria, and remained neutral . Public opinion in Italy was sharply divided, with Catholics and socialists calling for peace . However nationalists saw their opportunity to gain their "irredenta"--that is, the border regions that were controlled by Austria . The nationalists won out, and in April 1915, the Italian government secretly agreed to the London Pact in which Britain and France promised that if Italy would declare war on Austria, it would receive its territorial rewards . The Italian army of 875,000 men was poorly led and lacked heavy artillery and machine guns . The industrial base was too small to provide adequate amounts of modern equipment, and the old - fashioned rural base did not produce much of a food surplus . The war stalemated with a dozen indecisive battles on a very narrow front along the Isonzo River, where the Austrians held the high ground . In 1916, Italy declared war on Germany, which provided significant aid to the Austrians . Some 650,000 Italian soldiers died and 950,000 were wounded, while the economy required large - scale Allied funding to survive . </P> <P> Before the war the government had ignored labor issues, but now it had to intervene to mobilize war production . With the main working - class Socialist party reluctant to support the war effort, strikes were frequent and cooperation was minimal, especially in the Socialist strongholds of Piedmont and Lombardy . The government imposed high wage scales, as well as collective bargaining and insurance schemes . Many large firms expanded dramatically . For example, the workforce at the Ansaldo munitions company grew from 6,000 to 110,000 workers as it manufactured 10,900 artillery pieces, 3,800 warplanes, 95 warships and 10 million artillery shells . At Fiat the workforce grew from 4,000 to 40,000 . Inflation doubled the cost of living . Industrial wages kept pace but not wages for farm workers . Discontent was high in rural areas since so many men were taken for service, industrial jobs were unavailable, wages grew slowly and inflation was just as bad . </P> <P> Italy blocked serious peace negotiations, staying in the war primarily to gain new territory . The Treaty of St. Germain awarded the victorious Italian nation the Southern half of the County of Tyrol, Trieste, Istria, and the city of Zadar . Italy did not receive other territories promised by the Pact of London, so this victory was considered "mutilated". In 1922 Italy formally annexed the Dodecanese (Possedimenti Italiani dell'Egeo), that she had occupied during the previous war with Turkey . </P>

Which european nation's civilians suffered the least in world war i