The Allies welcome Italy to the victory banquet, serving her Trento and Trieste. Turkey, Austria-Hungary, and Germany (the Central Powers) look in on the feast. The artwork is from the period between Italy's entry into the war on May 23, 1915, and Bulgaria's joining the Central Powers on October 14. It was a difficult year for the celebrants. Postcard by Aurelio Bertiglia.

Grande Hotel della Civiltà

Piatti del Giorno

Impero Tedesco

Austria-Ungheria

Turchia Europea



Dolce

Vittoria

Dolce della Vittoria

Trento Trieste



'Il Banchetto dei Vincitori'

'Le Banquet des Vainqueurs'

'The Banquet of the Victors'



Great Hotel of Civilization

Dishes of the Day

German Empire

Austria-Hungary

European Turkey

sweet

victory



Sweet Victory

Trento Trieste



'The Banquet of the Victors'

'Le Banquet des vainqueurs'

'The Banquet of the Victors'



Reverse:

Logo:CCM

Riproduzione artistica riservata

1019

Made in Italy



Artistic reproduction restricted

Other views: Larger

Thursday, January 20, 1916

"'The Russians,' he declared, 'are behindhand. Their munitions factories are not working badly but their guns are below standard. The Russian Army consumes an incredible number of them. The port of Archangel is icebound; Murmansk is free, but the railway-line is not completed; a stretch of 200 kilometres remains to be built. The rifles and guns we sent to the Russians have to make an immense détour by Port Arthur which makes the journey at least three months. In short, the Russians, according to their own words, will not be ready before June, and in my opinion not before July.

'We shall then launch a general offensive simultaneously on all fronts.

'Until then we must wear down the enemy.'"

Quotation Context

French Commander Joseph Joffre speaking to Albert, King of the Belgians, in a visit by the general on January 20, 1916. Albert suggested that the British 'hold the whole line defensively,' allowing the French to take the offensive. Joffre did not trust the British to take this on, but was preparing for a joint summer offensive with them on the Somme River. Murmansk and Archangel are on the Barents and White Seas, Port Arthur on the Pacific Ocean.

Source

The War Diaries of Albert I King of the Belgians by Albert I, page 81, copyright © 1954, publisher: William Kimber

Tags

1916-01-20, 1916, January, Albert, Joffre, Entente Allies, Russian munitions, Russian shell shortage