Caporetto and the Isonzo Campaign: The Italian Front, 1915–1918

by John MacDonald

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. 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. The twelfth and final battle, Caporetto, resulted in a devastating defeat for Italy and led to one of the greatest breakthroughs achieved during the entire conflict. Yet this massive struggle is too often neglected in histories of the war which focus on the fighting on the Western and Eastern Fronts. John Macdonald, in this accessible and highly illustrated account, aims to set the record straight. 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. The impact of the intervention of British, French and German troops is covered, as are the parts played by famous individuals – among them Rommel, Mussolini, Badoglio and Cadorna, the notorious Italian commander in chief. But it is the front-line experience of the common soldiers on both sides that is most powerfully portrayed. Caporetto and the Isonzo Campaign gives a fascinating insight into a conflict that was a pivotal moment in the history of Italy, Austria and the Balkans.

Genres: History, World War I, Nonfiction, Military History, 20th Century

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 17, 2011

About the author

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Reviews

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Isonzo Campaigns are fascinating. The men who fought the 12 campaigns endured tremendous hardships for very little gain. While the 12th is the best known, I learned a great deal about all of them from this slim volume.

[Peter A. van Tilburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy readable and well written overview of the battles fought on the Isonzo front. The Italian general Cadorna as leader of the Italian armies matches the way the English general Haig fought on the Western front. Cadorna attacked over and over again (in 12 battles during 2,5 uears) almost every time across the total width of the front. His objective was to wear the Austrian Hungarian troops out. And he believed after every battles that he was closer to wearing out the Austrian Hungarian army. He was not open for intelligence and did not do his home work for a battle in investigating the enemy. In present days this seems not possible anymore but looking at the current war in Oekrain it seems that the Russians made comparable mistakes by vastly overestimating their own capabilities. Also the effect on morale on being attackers or defender of your own country must not be underestimated. As often in life self reflection with help of others is very important to avoid tunneling. Not doing that thinking you know it all can cause disasters as the Isonzo disaster. Casualties on Italian side over all battles: just over 1 mio. On the Austrian Hungarian side: around 450.000.

[Dropbear123 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75/5 really good at what it sets out to do.

Short at 187 pages plus a 2 page bibliography, all in English so good for further research. First 50 pages cover the stuff that isn't the battles, Italy's entry into the war, the terrain, the state of the armies in terms of morale and equipment then a biographical list of the main leaders on each side. Then the rest of the book covers each of the 12 battles of the Izonso, describing the main attacks, the reasons for success and failure, and what the battles actually achieved (most of the time nothing gained and at huge cost in terms of casualties). Each chapter tends to be under 10 pages but the more significant battles like the 6th battle and the 11th battle get about 15. The 12th battle, Caporetto, gets 20. 1918 and the final Italian offensives are wrote about in very broad strokes, not a lot of detail. The writing is accessible if you like military history, enough info on troop movements and locations to understand what is going on without getting bogged down with every unit. There are a lot of pictures throughout the book with mostly decent quality, but personally I wanted some more maps and for the maps to be better quality.

I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in WWI but if you want a more indepth book (especially on the political side of things such as the Italian leadership deciding to enter the war and the cultural impact) then I'd suggest The White War: Life and Death on the Italian Front 1915-1919 by Mark Thompson alongside this book.

[Jes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read structure but still told in a way that kept me invested. This is probably the book I’d recommend anyone to read first if they want more information about this front in WWI. I was only able to get ahold of an ebook copy but I wish I somehow had a physical one as the pictures used in it were originals. Some were a bit harder to see on my screen.

Because I’m not familiar with the area, the only critique I have is I wish there was a map at the beginning of each chapter/battle to remind me where each town and peak is in relation to each other.

[Luis Arturo Mantilla Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent description of a lesser known action between the Autro Hungarian empire and the Italians, fought in a very complicated and demanding area, great investment in men and materiel for so little gain, this is an example of what is the war, madness but also courage and devotion to their respective countries. For a WW1 bluff this is a must read.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great introduction to the Italian Front of the First World War. It's unbelievable how a general like Cadorna was allowed to lead so many failed attacks with appalling casualty rates and not be sacked until Caporetto.

[Aaron Gines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on the Battles of the Isonzo

Great book. It does a good job of building up to the battle of Caporetto but then pass through it quickly. Still a good read from a book on the Italian front.

[Steve Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid intro to the Italian campaign. A start point for further research.

[Bristol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting introduction into the Italian campaigns nearing the end of WWI, to the point and focuses on the inhumane conditions the soldiers were expected to endure.

[Timothy Liu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty quick and easy read, and some good background on the Austrian/Italian involvement in the first world war.

[Jeff Millard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and informative overview of an often overlooked part of WWI. I definitely recommend reading a physical copy as there are many photos that the ebook doesn't do justice to.

[Clarke Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great resource if you are trying to learn about a campaign in World War 1 that does not get anywhere near the attention that the western front does. Reading it, one cannot help but be amazed with what the soldiers on both sides endured. It reads more like a military history than an actual narrative, so a lot of interesting details from other works on the subject do not get mentioned.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book did a good job of accomplishing what it set out to do. It gave the reader a thorough introduction to the Isonzo campaign and the illustrations really helped complete the story. This was a very well written book and one I would recommend!