Medal for the Occupation of Fiume (unofficial) In the secret Treaty of London in 1915, Italy was promised (among other things) the port city of Fiume (then belonging to Austria) if Italy would join the Allies. Italy broke with Germany and Austria and did join the Allies.

In 1919, after the war and during the Versailles 'Peace' Conference, Italy's Prime Minister was about to announce the annexation of Fiume to Italy when the other major Allied powers got wind of it and objected. In September a coup led by the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio occupied Fiume for Italy. Negotiations eventually gave Fiume to the new nation of Yugoslavia.