Lo spartiacque alpino e il confine della nazione: Le basi geografiche e cartografiche della Grande Guerra

The recognition of spatial coordinates related to the national territory became a central topic in geography especially since the last decades of the 19 century. The advancement of regional geography in Italy followed the reflection about a scientific model which aimed to define empirical national borders. This analysis lead to recognise the Italian terrestrial border in the Alpine watershed. Main figure were the geographers Giovanni and Olinto Marinelli whose scientific developed model – the so called regione integrale – became an instrument to define the relation between mankind and the environment. This model was also adopted as a paradigm by the Italian geographical community till after the Second World War. In this context cartography played an important role in the elaboration and in the spread of geographical ideas. The role of maps was indeed crucial in the definition of theoretical models. Furthermore cartography allowed the media diffusion in the society especially by touristic maps.