Battles of the Isonzo | WWI Italian Front, 12-Year Conflict | Britannica (original) (raw)

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Date:

June 23, 1915 - October 24, 1917

Battles of the Isonzo, (1915–17), 12 battles along the Isonzo River on the eastern sector of the Italian Front in World War I.

Although it is now located in Slovenia, the Isonzo River at the time ran roughly north-south just inside Austria along its border with Italy at the head of the Adriatic Sea. The river is flanked by rugged peaks, and the Austrians had fortified the mountains prior to Italy’s entry into the war on May 23, 1915, giving them quite a considerable advantage over the Italians. The Italian general Luigi Cadorna launched his first attack against the Austrians on June 23. For 14 days the Italian army attempted to cross the river and scale the heights beyond, but they were beaten back. Again during July 18–August 3, October 18–November 3, and November 10–December 2, the Italians attacked, but they penetrated only a few miles into the Austrian sector at the cost of heavy losses. From March 9 to 17, 1916, Cadorna tried again—and again failed. In the sixth battle, August 6–17, 1916, Gorizia was captured and a bridgehead was secured across the Isonzo, the first real victories. In the next three battles, September 14–17, October 10–12, and November 1–4, the Italians changed their tactics to short, intense attacks in order to limit their casualties, but they still could not penetrate the formidable natural barriers protected by Austrian artillery. In the 10th battle, May 12–June 8, 1917, Cadorna struck in two places with massed troops and a larger number of guns but gained only a few yards of ground.

During August 19–September 12 the Italians struck again, this time with a total of 51 divisions and 5,200 guns, and they slowly pushed forward, dislodging the Austrians as they advanced. The Germans feared that the Austrian front might collapse and sent reinforcements. On October 24 the Austrian-German forces took the offensive, beginning with a heavy bombardment. By afternoon the Italian army was in a rout. War-weary and demoralized territorial troops threw down their arms, the Austrians poured over the Isonzo, and Caporetto fell, though many Italian units continued to fight as they retreated toward the Piave River, where they held the line on November 7, after one of the worst defeats in Italian history.

World War I Events

Battle of the Frontiers August 4, 1914 - September 6, 1914 Battle of Mons August 23, 1914 Battle of Tannenberg August 26, 1914 - August 30, 1914 First Battle of the Marne September 6, 1914 - September 12, 1914 First Battle of Ypres October 19, 1914 - November 22, 1914 Battle of Tanga November 2, 1914 - November 5, 1914 Battle of the Falkland Islands December 8, 1914 Christmas Truce December 24, 1914 - December 25, 1914 Gallipoli Campaign February 16, 1915 - January 9, 1916 naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign February 19, 1915 - March 18, 1915 Second Battle of Ypres April 22, 1915 - May 25, 1915 Battles of the Isonzo June 23, 1915 - October 24, 1917 Battle of Lone Pine August 6, 1915 - August 10, 1915 Battle of Verdun February 21, 1916 - December 18, 1916 Battle of Jutland May 31, 1916 - June 1, 1916 Brusilov Offensive June 4, 1916 - August 10, 1916 First Battle of the Somme July 1, 1916 - November 13, 1916 Battle of Messines June 7, 1917 - June 14, 1917 June Offensive July 1, 1917 - c. July 4, 1917 Battle of Passchendaele July 31, 1917 - November 6, 1917 Battle of Caporetto October 24, 1917 - December 19, 1917 Battle of Cambrai November 20, 1917 - December 8, 1917 treaties of Brest-Litovsk February 9, 1918; March 3, 1918 Battle of Belleau Wood June 1, 1918 - June 26, 1918 Battle of Amiens August 8, 1918 - August 11, 1918 Battle of Saint-Mihiel September 12, 1918 - September 16, 1918 Battle of Cambrai September 27, 1918 - October 11, 1918 Battle of Mons November 11, 1918

This article was most recently revised and updated by William L. Hosch.