Prior to the outbreak of war in August 1914 Italy had tended to side with Germany and Austria-Hungary ... to begin with - Italy kept out of the war. However, tempted by offers of more land once the war was won - Italy entered the war in April 1915 on the side of the allies. The Italian front is the name given to the fighting that took place along the border between Italy and Austria. The Italians only managed to advance a short way into Austria ........ between 1915 and 1917 there were twelve battles fought along the river Isonzo - just inside the Austrian border http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/if.htm
Over the Italian Front a leaflet was dropped to encourage the Italian troops stating: "Every minute eight American soldiers disembark in Europe." In the peak month of shipping Doughboys over, July 1918, this was precisely true. The Yanks Come to the Italian Front The 332nd Infantry Regiment, 83rd Division, with attached medical and supply units, was sent to the Italian front in July 1918 in response to urgent requests from the Italian Government. Its principal missions were to build up Italian morale and to depress that of the enemy by creating the impression that a large force of Americans had reached that front and was preparing to enter the battle line and to take an active part in the fighting. http://www.worldwar1.com/itafront/dbsitaly.htm
Notable Aviators of the Italian Front ....... these flyers were from a few different countries ..... it would be interesting to find more information on them all ..... though Billy Barker is quite well known already ! http://www.worldwar1.com/itafront/ifaviators.htm Annie
Please take a look at these photos as a slide show ....... ! http://www.flickr.com/photos/65817306@N00/sets/486575/
The air battle .......... http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation history/airplane at war/italian_front.htm Annie
Warning - some photos on these two sites maybe distressful Cesare Battisti - considered a patriot, hero and martyr Cesare Battisti from Trento was one of the most famous "Irridentisti". He was born in the Austrian Empire and was, before the war, a well known activist of a movement which asked for Trento and Trieste leaving the Empire and joining Italy. When the war came, he obtained Italian citizenship and volunteered in the army (Alpini: Alpin Corps). He was taken prisoner by the Austrians in 1916, condemned and executed as a traitor. http://www.worldwar1.com/itafront/battisti.htm http://www.ww1-propaganda-cards.com/executions.html
The Battle of Ortigara was not the largest or most costly battle on the Italian front, but for nineteen days in June of 1917 it was a microcosm of mountain front's warfare and the terrible attrition of the Great War. Ortigara is often called "the Calvary of the Alpini" with its useless sacrifice of Italy's finest troops. In a determined offensive on the Trentino Plateau, Italian General Ettore Mambretti seized strategic Monte Ortigara. However it was quickly retaken by Austrian General Artur von Mecenseffy in some of the bloodiest alpine fighting of the war. Austria lost 9,000 casualties, and the Italians sacrificed over 23,000 men (2,800 killed). http://www.worldwar1.com/itafront/ortnew.htm
