Italian Feminists and World War I: from Internationalism to Nationalism and Americanism

In early 20th century, the Consiglio Nazionale delle Donne Italiane (CNDI) was a leading feminist organization in Italy. Since its birth, members maintained strong transnational connections, acting as the Italian branch of the International Council of Women (ICW). Italian representatives participated steadily in the “long seasons of international meetings” that started at the end of the 19th century and continued, except during the war years, through the 1930s. In general, transnationalism was a key feature of the growth of the CNDI and its members. In May 1914, just a couple of months before the war, the CNDI hosted the ICW international congress. During the Great War, the CNDI became involved in Italy’s national war policy. After their nation’s ruinous defeat of Caporetto, most members enrolled in relief and propaganda activities. But even in this nationalistic context, a few Italian feminists made use of their international mindset. It was during this time that American culture escaped the emigrant Italian milieu and, for a brief but intense phase, became the credo of Italy’s emerging mass society. Some feminists, like Guglielmina Ronconi and Maria A. Loschi, used American models and US communication techniques to fight defeatism and social unrest among Italy’s war-weary populace. They carefully chose which aspects of American life to exhibit in their propaganda work, including the protection of children, the new roles of women, and the importance of education and social work; these were cornerstones of the transnational feminist movement before and after the Great War. After the war, the CNDI easily resumed its previous transnational connections, until fascism eventually suffocated it.