Italian Front

Front

(53)

1915

May

23
- Key eventItaly declares war on Austria-HungaryOn 23 May 1915 Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary, its ally in the Triple Alliance. The state of war took effect the following day.
- Luigi Cadorna takes charge of the Italian armyOn 23 May 1915 a decree of King Victor Emmanuel III gave effective direction of the army's operations to the Chief of the General Staff, General Luigi Cadorna.
24
- Italians cross the Austrian borderOn 24 May 1915 Italian troops crossed the border of Austria-Hungary along almost its whole length. The Austrians fell back behind the Soča, blowing up bridges.

June

July

August

10
- End of the Second Battle of the IsonzoThe Austro-Hungarian official history ends the Second Battle of the Isonzo on 10 August 1915. After Italy's 3 August order, the Karst fighting went on a week.

October

18
- Start of the Third Battle of the IsonzoAt noon on 18 October 1915 more than a thousand Italian guns opened fire along the whole Isonzo front. The infantry was to go over to the assault on 21 October.

November

December

10
- End of the Fourth Battle of the IsonzoThe British chronology ends the Fourth Battle of the Isonzo on 10 December 1915. A day earlier the last major Italian attack on Monte San Michele had collapsed.

1916

March

May

14
- Trentino offensive beginsOn 14 May 1916 Austro-Hungarian artillery opened fire on the Isonzo to distract the Italians. The main blow from Tyrol began at dawn the next day.

June

July

07
- End of the Italian counter-offensive in the TrentinoOn 7 July 1916 the Austrians on the Asiago plateau repulsed the second day of a major Italian attack. Cadorna did not regain the positions lost in May.

August

September

October

November

04
- End of the Ninth Battle of the IsonzoOn 4 November 1916 three Italian divisions stormed the Austrian positions from Hudi Log to hill 208 in vain. Cadorna halted the offensive on the Karst.

1917

May

12
- Start of the tenth battle of the IsonzoAt dawn on 12 May 1917 the Italian artillery opened fire from Tolmin to the Adriatic. The Tenth Battle of the Isonzo, Cadorna's largest offensive, had begun.

June

05
- End of the Tenth Battle of the IsonzoOn 5 June 1917 the Austro-Hungarian counter-attack on the Karst died down. The Italians lost most of their gains at Hermada; the Tenth Isonzo battle ended.

August

17
- Start of the eleventh battle of the IsonzoOn 17 August 1917 Italian batteries on the Isonzo were firing almost as in a barrage. The Eleventh Battle of the Isonzo, Italy's largest offensive, began.

September

October

November

December

1918

January

28
- Battle of the Three MountainsOn 28 January 1918 the Italians attacked on the Asiago plateau and by 31 January retook Col del Rosso, Col d'Echele and Monte Valbella, with 2,600 prisoners.

March

11
- Airship raid on NaplesOn the night of 10–11 March 1918 the German airship L 59, flying from Bulgaria, bombed Naples. Sixteen people were killed; the military targets were unharmed.

April

21
- Italian–Czechoslovak conventionOn 21 April 1918 Orlando and Štefánik signed in Rome a convention creating a Czechoslovak army in Italy under the authority of the national council.

June

July

16
- Dismissal of ConradIn mid-July 1918 Karl I removed Field Marshal Conrad from command in the Tyrol, sweetening it with the title of count. Archduke Joseph August replaced him.

October

24
- Key eventBattle of Vittorio Veneto beginsOn 24 October 1918, the anniversary of Caporetto, the Italians attacked the Grappa. The Austrians held, and the swollen Piave delayed the main crossing.

November