The Italian front

"[...] I resti di quello che fu uno dei più potenti eserciti del mondo risalgono in disordine e senza speranza le valli che avevano discese con orgogliosa sicurezza." (Armando Diaz)

Marta Brioschi and Annalisa Ferrero, 5DL

January 14, 2022

"I soldati italiani a Caporetto si batterono meglio che poterono [...] Furono travolti da un tipo di attacco al quale nessuno li aveva addestrati, semplicemente perché nessuno lo riteneva possibile: e quando si accorsero di questa assoluta carenza di comando [...] allora caddero in preda di uno «choc» dal quale non era per nulla facile risollevarsi." (Franco Bandini)

• Winter 1917
• 10th and 11th battles of the Isonzo
• Caporetto disaster
• The three battles of the Piave

1917-1918

Italy Germany Austro-Hungarian empire

THE ITALIAN FRONT

• It was a failure: 128,000 Italian losses due to Cadorna’s own failings in command and control, improvements made by the Austro-Hungarian army and artillery
• Battle of Ortigara, on the Asiago Altopiano: June 1917 - 1st July 1917
• It was a failure: serious losses due to strategy inadequate for the mountainous area in which they were

• By late 1917, fatigue had set in even among the war’s supporters.
• Italian casualties during winter: 20,000
• Both sides dug caves and trenches in the rock, built shacks in inhospitable but hidden locations, built rough roads to guarantee supplies…

• 10th battle of the Isonzo: 12 May 1917, led by Cadorna

Winter 1917

• 11th battle of the Isonzo or battle of Bainsizza: August 1917 - 12 September 1917
• Luigi Cappello, Commander of II Army, led them to victory
• Losses: 160,000 Italian casualties and 85,000 Austrians casualties

Riots and strikes

• Strikes and anti-war protests made by both Catholics and socialists
• First food riot in Turin - led by women and industrial workers: 22 August 1917
• 50 civilians killed, 900 arrests

11th battle of the Isonzo

General Luigi Cadorna

• over a month-long → disaster for Italy - defeated on the 9th of November
• 12.000 soldiers died and more than 30.000 were wounded
• the Italian army retreated to the Piave river
• the Italian government collapsed again and the prime minister and several military commanders were replaced.

The Caporetto disaster

• Germany and Austro-Hungarian empire against Italy in its north-eastern border → worst defeat in Italian history.
• rumors of an imminent Austro-Hungarian attack → the Italian army tried to reinforce the mountainous north-eastern battle lines (the Italian defense remained weak and disorganized)

The Twelfth battle of the Isonzo October 24, 1917 - November 9, 1917

It was the last clash between Italy and Austria in The Great War and marked the end of the war for Italy. At the beginning of the battle, the Austrian defense resisted the Italian attacks, but then the Italian army occupied the territories and defeated Austria.

The battles of the Piave river

"The battle of Vittorio Veneto"October - November 1918

"The battle of the solstice"June 1918

November 1917

The consequences

It was the last Austrian offensive before its surrender; both the Italian army and the enemy suffered from great losses. It resulted in a heavy defeat for Austria and an important victory for Italy.

In this battle, Italy focused on defense and managed to stop the enemies, thanks to its united and reinforced army, led by Diaz.

Caporetto represented a military catastrophe, but compatriots were determined to react to the earlier failure. General Cadorna was considered to be the main responsible for the defeat and was replaced with general Armando Diaz.

3rd battle

2nd battle

1st battle

After Caporetto

The battle of Vittorio Veneto

The battle of the solstice

The first battle of the Piave

General Armando Diaz

4th of November today

Since 1921/22, the 4th of November is celebrated as the Day of National Unity and as the Armed Forces Day in Italy, in memory of all the people who sacrificed their lives for their homeland in WW1.

The Armistice of Villa Giusti

3rd-4th of November, 1918

Austria and Italy signed the armistice in Villa Giusti (Padua) on the 3rd of November and it was applied on the 4th of November, thus marking the end of the war in Italy. The Austrians had to leave all the occupied territories and free all the prisoners.

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