Why did Camillo Benso, count di Cavour believe that French support was necessary against Austria?

Camillo Benso, count di Cavour, believed that French support was indispensable for opposing Austria because he realistically concluded that Piedmont could not challenge Austrian dominance in Italy on its own. He recognized that previous attempts by figures like Charles Albert and Giuseppe Mazzini had failed precisely because they operated under the erroneous belief that foreign alliances were unnecessary.1

Cavour’s strategy involved several key considerations:

• Military Balance: He understood that Austria possessed superior military power, which required a significant contribution from a major power like France to counterbalance.21
• Diplomatic Leverage: Cavour sought to exploit the geopolitical interests of Napoleon III, who desired to restore France as the leading continental power and viewed the removal of Austrian influence from Italy as a means to enhance French prestige.21
• Buffer State: He successfully framed Piedmont as a necessary buffer that France could not allow to be defeated by Austria, thereby aligning French national interests with the Italian cause.1

By securing this alliance, Cavour aimed to replace Austrian domination with a new political order in Italy.2