Painting depicting Italian soldiers defending their positions by throwing rocks at the attacking Austro-Hungarian soldiers, 1917
Painting depicting Italian soldiers defending their positions by throwing rocks at the attacking Austro-Hungarian soldiers, 1917.
Today 106 years ago, on May 14, 1917, the Tenth Battle of the Isonzo began on the Italian Front.
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In April 1917, the French and British launched the Nivelle Offensive on the Western Front. To support the Allied offensive, the French requested the Italians to attack the Austro-Hungarians on the Isonzo, with the hopes of achieving a breakthrough to divert German troops from the Western to the Italian Front.
The Italians agreed and planned a large-scale offensive at Plava north of Gorizia on the Isonzo, hoping to divert Austro-Hungarian troops further south from the Carso Plateau, where a renewed offensive was hoped to achieve a total breakthrough and capture the city of Trieste. The Italians would deploy 38 Divisions against just 14 Austro-Hungarian Divisions.
On May 12, 1917, the Italians opened up an intense 2-day-long artillery bombardment of 2,378 guns on the Austro-Hungarian positions along a 40-km front, the biggest bombardment of the Italian Front so far.
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Then on May 14, the Italian infantry attacked in the mountainous area of Plava. The artillery was very effective, and the Italians achieved success as they captured the Hill 383 and Monte Santo, although an Austrian counter-attack recaptured the latter.
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The Italians continued to attack and captured the Monte Vodice on May 18. Within a week the Italians were halted, although they had succeeded in diverting Austrian troops away from the Carso Plateau.
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On May 23, the Italians fired a terrifying 1 million shells in 10 hours on the Austrian positions along a 16 km front on the Carso Plateau, shattering their defenses.
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The Italian infantry attacked and were extremely effective, advancing over a mile in some places and capturing 9,000 Austrian soldiers.
⬇️CONTINUED BELOW⬇️
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