Italy, Garibaldi and the British Royal Navy

The British Empire helped the unification of Italy to wipe out its last contender in the Mediterranean, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

The Kingdom of Sardinia (Piedmont essentially) was chosen by the British exactly because they had zero of out nothing naval experience.

In May 1860, a British naval force, led by Admiral Sidney Smith, arrived in the harbor of Marsala (Sicily) to support Garibaldi and the Italian revolutionaries, who were fighting against the forces of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The British provided supplies, medical assistance, and transportation to the Italian revolutionaries, and their intervention was instrumental in helping the Italians to defeat the forces of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and establish a provisional government in Sicily.

The British Legion, a military corps composed of English and Scottish volunteers, even paraded in Naples.

Then WWII, when another decisive invasion started from the sea, with the Allies landing again in Sicily.

Back to our days, Mediterranean is still one of the most important water surface, and not by chance is the mid-ocean, while it connects Atlantic and Pacific, Asia and Europe. Shipping containers from Asia, once they get of or Suez, have to go thought the Sicily’s straight, the closest point between Italy and ***Tunisia.*** By the way, Italians call it “canal”, and it’s patrolled by Americans and French.

It must be said the Italian Navy deserves respect, but if its home country neglects it, whom interests are they gonna serve?

Most important territory for Italy is Libia: it could serve in a potential invasion of Italy, and it has great oil reserves. In 2011, UK and France hoped to establish a new regime, but Russia and Turkey came into the game. Now one can find just confettis of Libia.

Then let’s mention another example, Albania, which engaged with Turkey to modernize its military. Don’t forget that military supplies are a form of influence since the receiving country gets locked up with someone else's standards. Ask India about Russia as main supplier.

A country with geopolitical sense, always tries to influence its neighbours, creating a sphere of influence.