Trieste, one of Austria-Hungary's major ports on the Adriatic and one of Italy's principal war aims. The poem by Carducci may reference the Austro-Hungarian submarine base at Pola.

Suono di trasvolanti

Ale e tremor di luminose forme

I sereni del ciel deserti empiea

E da le caliganti

Isole al mar che sotto Pola dorme

Una stupenda vision splendea

Carducci



Sounds of ships wheels

Wings and tremors of luminous shapes

The serenity of heaven's deserted empyrean

And from the steam

Of islands at sea that sleep beneath Pola

A magnificent vision shone

Carducci



Trieste 1915

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Trieste, one of Austria-Hungary's major ports on the Adriatic Sea, had a substantial ethnic-Italian population and its aquisition was a principle Italian war aim.

Parts of Italia irredenta — unredeemed Italy — including the French territory of Piedmont but more importantly the city of Trieste and region of Trentino, both with significant populations of ethnic Italians, were offered to Italy as a prize for entering the war by the Entente allies, by Germany, and, ultimately and too late, by Austria-Hungary.

Gabriele D'Annunzio was an Italian author, pilot, soldier, and self-promoter who strongly advocated for Italy's entry into the war. He commanded the August 9, 1918 Ansaldo SVA-5s of the Venetian La Serenissima Squadron in the Flight over Vienna, a round trip of over 1,200 km. In August 1915 he dropped streamers in the colors of the Italian flag and bearing patriotic massages over Trieste.

President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points included calls for the satisfaction of nationalist aspirations. The Ninth Point covered Trentino and Trieste: '9. Readjustment of the frontiers of Italy along clearly recognizable lines of nationality.'

Trieste is a city in Austria-Hungary.

Statistics for Trieste (1)

Type	Statistic
Population	229,475