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Map of the Trentino, part of "Italia Irredenta," unredeemed Italy: Venezia Tridentina (Trentino and Alto Adige)
Text:
Venezia Tridentina (Trentino and Alto Adige)
Confine del Regno d'Italia
Conf.[ine] Geografico d'Italia
Confine fra Trentino e Alto Adige
Ferrovie
Tramvie
Ist. Geogr. De Agostini-Novara - Riproduzione Interdetta
Venezia Tridentina (Trentino and South Tyrol)
Border of the Kingdom of Italy
Geographic boundary of Italy
Border between Trentino and Alto Adige
Railways
Tramways
Geographic Institute of Agostini-Novara - Reproduction prohibited
Reverse:
Message dated December 14, 1917

Map of the Trentino, part of "Italia Irredenta," unredeemed Italy: Venezia Tridentina (Trentino and Alto Adige)

Image text

Venezia Tridentina (Trentino and Alto Adige)

Confine del Regno d'Italia

Conf.[ine] Geografico d'Italia

Confine fra Trentino e Alto Adige

Ferrovie

Tramvie

Ist. Geogr. De Agostini-Novara - Riproduzione Interdetta

Venezia Tridentina (Trentino and South Tyrol)

Border of the Kingdom of Italy

Geographic boundary of Italy

Border between Trentino and Alto Adige

Railways

Tramways

Geographic Institute of Agostini-Novara - Reproduction prohibited

Reverse:

Message dated December 14, 1917

Other views: Larger, Larger, Back

Monday, May 15, 1916

"No less than 400,000 Austrians were thrown into the narrow sector of 25 miles between the Adige and the Val Sugana. More than 2,000 guns suddenly rained projectiles of all calibers upon the Italian position. A bombardment of incredible violence ensued. Aeroplanes regulated the fire of a 15-inch naval gun [that] showered projectiles on the town of Asiago.

Following the hurricane of artillery fire, the Austrian troops attacked in mass formation. Four onslaughts were made on Zugna Torta. The Italian machine guns cut down the grey-blue masses of men; the wire entanglements were heaped with dead. The Austrians then hurled themselves against the advance posts of the Val Terragnolo, but the Alpini defended every foot of the ground, fighting always in the snow."

Quotation Context

After a year of war in which Italy had launched five Battles of the Isonzo River in the country's northeast, Austro-Hungarian Chief of Staff Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf struck back with his Asiago Offensive on May 15, 1916, attacking in Trentino and Alto Adige on Italy's northern border. Conrad hoped to drive across Italy's north to reach the Adriatic Sea, enveloping the Italian Army. Although he had ample warning of the impending offensive, Italian Commander in Chief Luigi Cadorna made few preparations, but quickly created a new Italian Fifth Army of 180,000 men drawn from the Isonzo Front to halt the Austro-Hungarian advance.

Source

King's Complete History of the World War by W.C. King, page 231, copyright © 1922, by W.C. King, publisher: The History Associates, publication date: 1922

Tags

1916-05-15, 1916, May, Asiago Offensive, Trentino, Asiago, Alto Adige, Cadorna, Luigi Cadorna, Conrad von Hötzendorf, Conrad, von Hötzendorf, Hötzendorf