Austro-Hungarian soldiers, one with goggles around his hat, posing at their dugout in a January, 1917 photograph. The card is dated January 27, 1917, and field postmarked January 31.
The message is dated January 27, 1917, and field postmarked January 31.
"At this point, early on 3 November, the high command was unaware of an Italian stipulation that the ceasefire should come into effect with a 24-hour delay, so their forward units could be informed. General Weber realised the discrepancy would be disastrous for Austrian troops, but the high command refused to amend the order. In desperation, Weber asked Badoglio to suspend hostilities immediately. His request was brushed aside, and the Italians signed the armistice at 15:20. It would come into force at 15:00 on 4 November.As if bent on confirming, with its last breath, every accusation of haughty negligence towards the common people, the Habsburg élite had bungled the armistice. The Italians had 24 hours to round up unresisting Austrian soldiers who believed the war was over. Some 350,000 prisoners were taken in the last day of the war."
Generals Viktor Weber von Weberau and Pietro Badoglio were the armistice negotiators for Austria-Hungary and Italy respectively. General Armando Diaz launched the battle of Battle of Vittorio Veneto on October 24, 1918. After resisting for two days, the Austro-Hungarian defense collapsed as the Empire itself broke apart.
The White War: Life and Death on the Italian Front, 1915-1919 by Mark Thompson, page 363, copyright © 2008 Mark Thompson, publisher: Basic Books, publication date: 2009
1918-11-03, 1918, November, armistice, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Austro-Hungarian soldier, 1917, 1917-01-27, 1917-01-31, goggles
