Meebs & Jovial's Quest for Power

[southbiochem]

Italian Front 1915-1918





Italy was part of the Triple Alliance but did not side with the Central Powers when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, claiming that the Alliance was a defensive one.

It was also a given that the Habsburg Empire for a long time the natural enemy of Italy

In the end, with the promise of Italian-speaking Austrian territories, the Dalmatian coast, a protectorate over Albania, the permament cession of the Dodecanese Islands and unspecified colonies in Africa, France and UK convinced Italy to join the Allies.

Italy was ill-prepared for war, specially after the major expenses that the 1911-1912 Italo-Turkish war have had. The Italian Army had a proffessional officer corps but the regular soldier was heavily undertrained.

1.- The first phase was a war that soon turn into trech/attrition warfare with continued Italian frontal offensives. Despite outnumbering local Austrian troops by 3 to 1, Italian offensives were directed into the Julian Alps, hence, Austria had a defensive advantage hard to overcome.

In the 11 Battles of the Isonzo River (1915-1917), continued Italian assaults under Luigi Cardona gained little ground and instead gave epic casualties as a result.

2.- Inbewteen the first battles of the Isonzo river, Austria attempted the Asiago offensive but failed to defeat Italian forces and in turn was driven back, with Italian troops occupying some Austrian territory instead.