Editing Veneto (section)

=== United Italy ===
{{See also|Plebiscite of Veneto of 1866}}
[[File:Castelbrando Aerial View.jpg|right|thumb|The 13th-century [[Castel Brando]] in [[Cison di Valmarino]], [[Treviso]].]]
[[File:Einzug Vittorio Emanuels in Venedig 2.jpg|thumb|King [[Victor Emmanuel II of Italy]] entering [[Venice]] during the [[Third Italian War of Independence]] (1866) among a profusion of [[Flag of Italy|tricolour flags]]]]

Venetia remained under Austrian control until the [[Austro-Prussian War]] in 1866, when the [[Kingdom of Italy]] joined on the Prussian side and was promised Venetia in exchange for its assistance. Austria offered to sell Venetia to Italy, but the Italy refused, seeing it as a dishonourable choice. This resulted in a new southern front for Austria, the [[Third Italian War of Independence]].

Once the wars ended, the [[Treaty of Vienna (1866)|Treaty of Vienna]] ceded the region to neutral France, but left the fortresses under Austrian control for a time. Following protests, the Austrians left, and the French ceded it to Italy on 20 October. A referendum – where only 30% of the adult population voted (as was customary in that period), and did so under government pressure<ref>Genova Giovanni Thaon di Revel, ''La cessione del Veneto. Ricordi di un commissario piemontese incaricato alle trattative'', Lumachi, [[Florence]] 1906</ref> – was held on 21–22 October, and ratified the handover, with a 99.99% majority for Italy.<ref>Ettore Beggiato, ''1866: la grande truffa'', Editoria Universitaria, 1999</ref><ref name="Borsetto">Giampaolo Borsetto, ''Venezia 1866: el grande inbrogio. El plebisito de l'anexion a l'Italia'', [[Raixe Venete]], [[Treviso]] 2006</ref><ref>Gabriele Riondato, [http://www.raixevenete.com/materiale/storia_veneto/storia_veneta_venezia.pdf Storia del Veneto], 2000 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220012116/http://www.raixevenete.com/materiale/storia_veneto/storia_veneta_venezia.pdf |date=20 February 2012 }}</ref> During the [[Fascism|fascist era]], due to the [[Italian nationalism#Fascism and World War II (1922 to 1945)|nationalist policy]] the Venetian language, as other local languages, was banned in public spaces.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adnkronos.com/Archivio/AdnAgenzia/1997/08/08/Cultura/FASCISMO-E-IL-DUCE-DISSE-NON-SI-SCRIVA-IN-ROMANESCO_132100.php|title={{title case|FASCISMO: E IL DUCE DISSE, NON SI SCRIVA IN ROMANESCO}}|website=adnkronos.com|date=8 August 1997 }}</ref>

Uneven economic development reduced many to poverty, making the 19th century, and the first half of the 20th, a period of emigration. Millions of Venetians left their homes and their native land, to seek opportunities in other parts of the world. Many settled in South America (especially in [[Brazil]]), and others in [[Australia]], [[Canada]], and the [[United States|United States of America]]. 

After the [[World War II|Second World War]], many Venetians emigrated to Western European countries; in many of these places, their descendants have maintained the use of their ancestral Venetian dialects.

Those who remained in Veneto would experience the turmoil of two [[World war|World Wars]]. In 1915, Italy entered the [[World War I|First World War]] on the side of the [[France]] and the [[United Kingdom]] (after extricating itself from its alliance with [[German Empire|Germany]] and the [[Austria-Hungary|Austro-Hungarian Empire]]). Veneto became a major battlefront. After Italian forces suffered an enormous defeat at [[Kobarid|Caporetto]] in November 1917, the combined Austro-Hungarian and German forces advanced -- almost unhindered -- through Veneto, towards Venice, until reaching the [[Piave (river)|Piave]] River. The [[Battle of the Piave River]] prevented these invading troops from advancing further, and was celebrated in ''[[La Leggenda del Piave]]''. Between 24 October and 3 November 1918, Italy launched the decisive [[Battle of Vittorio Veneto]], whose outcome assured Italy's victory. The [[Armistice of Villa Giusti]] which ended warfare between [[Italy]] and [[Austria-Hungary]] in [[World War I]], was signed at [[Villa Giusti]] near Padua.

Between 1943 and 1945, Veneto belonged to the [[Italian Social Republic]], while the province of Belluno was part of the [[Prealpine Operations Zone]]. Many towns in the region were bombed by [[Allies of World War II|the Allies]] during the Second World War. Most hit were Treviso and Vicenza, along with the industrial area around [[Marghera]].