ISONZO BATTLE SERIES

MacDonald gives us a concise, yet informative look not only at how the battles unfolded, within the framework of the greater war. 'With its 130 or so excellent and previously unseen photographs gives a good description of the campaign based partly on the experience of individuals.'Īs featured by VaeVictis, n° 150 - March/April 2020 Highly Recommended 10/10.' Great War Magazine 'Certainly this is one to add to the bookshelf for anyone who wants to add to their knowledge of the Italian Front and for all those generally interested in the Great War. His description of the Isonzo battles, of the battlefields and of the atrocious conditions in which the soldiers lived and fought is supported by a graphic selection of original photographs that record the terrible reality of the conflict. John Macdonald, in this accessible and highly illustrated account, aims to set the record straight. Yet this massive struggle is too often neglected in histories of the war which focus on the fighting on the Western and Eastern Fronts. The campaign was fought in the most appalling terrain for combat, with horrendous casualties on both sides, often exceeding those of the more famous battles of the Great War.

ISONZO BATTLE SERIES

On 19th September it was obvious that there could be no further advance and the offensive was suspended.From May 1915 to October 1917 the armies of Italy and the Austro-Hungarian empire were locked into a series of twelve battles along the River Isonzo, a sixty-mile front from the Alps to the Adriatic.

In the next twenty days several attacks took place that cost the lives of 25,000 Italian soldiers but the top of the hill did not fall. Moreover, the ultimate objective of this operation, Mount San Gabriele, was well guarded by the Austro-Hungarian forces. The terrain of the Bainsizza plateau proved very difficult to cross and the army took several days to move the heavy armaments. The enthusiasm was even felt at the offices of the allied states and Lloyd George was sure that the First World War had reached a decisive stage.īut in the following days what had earlier seemed a relentless advance by the Italian army was interrupted abruptly.

The same situation happened at the foot of Mount Santo on 24th August: in a few minutes the Italian regiment reached the peak and finally took possession of this hill. All the members of the Supreme Command were surprised at the ease with this operation was conducted. The Second Army retreated instead over various kilometres towards the internal areas of the Bainsizza plateau and succeeded in capturing more than 11,000 prisoners as well as tens of cannons. The Third Army advanced slightly to the east and reached the ruins of the village of Selo although no progress was made on the Vipacco Valley. On the dawn of 19th August the attack by the infantry got under way. In the first days of August there was a very heavy bombardment between the plateau and Mount Armada with bombs thrown even by floating batteries that had been prepared at Punta Sdobba (at the mouth of the Isonzo) while aviation was also used intensively. Previous experience suggested that it would be better to give up momentarily the line Trstelj- Mount Ermada that was well defended by the Austro-Hungarians and concentrate the whole offensive between Gorizia and Tolmino to catch the army of Borojevic unprepared.Īlong the whole Italian front at that time there were more than half a million soldiers ready for the attack. This was a new development: never before now had an Italian attack been envisaged in only one section of the frontline. Feeling confident that there would be no attacks in Trentino by the soldiers of Charles I, the general moved twelve divisions on the Isonzo and patiently awaited Italian industry to supply a sufficient amount of ammunition that would be required by the 3,750 cannons and the 1,900 mortars that were concentrated on one point: the Bainsizza plateau. At the start of August Luigi Cadorna prepared a new offensive on the Isonzo which, in terms of numbers, should have been the strongest offensive ever seen.