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A bound, neutral Italy is sorely tempted by the appeal of Trieste. Trentino (the south Tyrol) and Trieste were chief among the war aims of those Italians who wanted to discard neutrality to war on Austria-Hungary. A postcard by V. Retrosi.
Turkish Cavalry, from a German postcard.
Anzac Cove, Ari Burnu, from John Masefield's 'Gallipoli.'
German and Austro-Hungarian forces under the command of generals von Hindenburg and Archduke Friedrich besieged Warsaw, and took it during the Gorlice-Tarnow Offensive. Austrians von Hötzendorf, Friedrich, and Pflanzer-Baltin form the bottom of the ring; the others are German. The flag and shield of Germany are on the bottom left; those of Austria and Hungary the bottom right.
Kaiser Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary starts in dismay at the approach of an Italian Army. Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary on May 23, 1915. The agreement the Emperor refers to was the Triple Alliance between Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Italy.
"Monday, May 17, 1915There is intense excitement in Italy. In Rome, Milan, Venice, and Genoa there is a continuous succession of stormy demonstrations which are almost revolutionary in character.Under the pressure of popular feeling King Victor Emmanuel yesterday refused the resignation of the Salandra-Sonnino Cabinet. Giolotti's plot has thus failed. The only course now open to the 'neutralist' Parliament is to bow to the demands of the national instincts." ((1), more)
"Thus it was that on the two tragic days of 18 and 19 May 1915, young Turkish soldiers charged forward, to be mowed down by enemy artillery and machine guns before they could attempt to rush enemy trenches. Those who died on the spot were the lucky ones.Those who were maimed, crippled or so heavily wounded they could not move, lay on the battlefield, expecting the next shell, grenade or bullet to finish them off. The few who were eventually picked up by stretcher bearers were carried away for treatment, with the certainty that if they survived, they would soon be sent back to the front. And for what? Simply put, the greater glory of Enver Pasha and his cocky Divisional Commanders." ((2), more)
"'Poor Simpson of 3rd F.A. was killed early in morning while still doing good work with the donkey.' The imperturbable manner in which this man, born in South Shields, County Durham, but enlisting in a West Australian unit, had brought wounded men down to the beach with the aid of his donkey was already growing into a legend which in due honour to Simpson was to symbolize the brave work done by men of all the field ambulance units." ((3), more)
"Thursday, May 20, 1915The Russian General Staff estimate that the Austro-German forces employed against Russia amount to not less than 55 corps and 20 cavalry divisions. Of these 55 corps three have just arrived from France." ((4), more)
"21st May [1915]The Italian Parliament has decided to enter the war, the deputies in favour numbering 407 against 74, while the senators were unanimous. This is the most important and the happiest event since the Battle of the Marne." ((5), more)
(1) Entry for Monday, May 17, 1915, from the memoirs of Maurice Paléologue, French Ambassador in Russia. Italy had signed the Pact of London on April 26, committing the country to enter the war on the side of the Entente Allies by May 26 in exchange for a loan of £50,000,000 and promises of territories (such as Trentino and Trieste) to be won. King Victor Emmanuel, Prime Minister Antonio Salandra, and Foreign Minister Sidney Sonnino all favored war, but faced overwhelming neutralist sentiment throughout the country and in the figure of former Prime Minister Giolotti. By mid-May Benito Mussolini, Gabriele D'Annunzio, and other pro-war activists were demonstrating, sometimes violently, for war.
An Ambassador's Memoirs Vol. I by Maurice Paléologue, page 338, publisher: George H. Doran Company, publication date: 1925
(2) Excerpt from the account by Şefik Bey, commander of the 27th Infantry Regiment. of the Turkish offensive at Ari Burnu, Anzac Cove, on May 18 and 19, 1915. The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzacs) had entrenched (as best they could) on the hills above the beach at Ari Burnu. The Turkish attack of May 18 and 19 was the most concerted effort of the Gallipoli campaign to drive them into the sea. The 'cocky Divisional Commanders' led two newly trained divisions from Constantinople. When Turkish War Minister Enver Pasha asked them if they were prepared to launch an immediate offensive, they had both replied they were. In his memoir, Liman von Sanders, German commander of Turkish forces on the Peninsula, admitted the offensive was a mistake.
Gallipoli 1915; Day One Plus . . . 27th Ottoman Inf. Reft. vs. ANZACS; Based on Account of Lt. Col. Sefik Aker, Commander of 27th Infantry Regiment by H.B. Danisman, page 62, publisher: Denizler Kitabevi, publication date: 2007
(3) Australian John Simpson Kirkpatrick, a stretcher bearer with the ANZAC Third Field Ambulance unit, landed on Gallipoli on April 25, 1915, the first day of the Allied invasion. In the three and a half weeks before his death on May 19, he used four donkeys to help him transport the wounded to the relative safety of the shore and transfer to a hospital ship. Legend credits him and his donkeys with bearing 300 wounded from the battle lines. The first sentence of the quotation is by Edney Moore of the Australian Medical Corps.
Men of Gallipoli: The Dardanelles and Gallipoli Experience August 1914 to January 1916 by Peter Liddle, pp. 155, 156, copyright © Peter Liddle, 1976, publisher: David and Charles, publication date: 1976
(4) Entry for Thursday, May 20, 1915, from the memoirs of Maurice Paléologue, French Ambassador in Russia. Begun on May 2, the German-Austro-Hungarian Gorlice-Tarnow Offensive continued to expand and push back the Russians. The Austro-Hungarian Army, which had squandered hundreds of thousands of men in the initial battles of 1914, and in fighting in the Carpathians in the early months of 1915, required German support to have any chance against Russia. To expand on his success on the Eastern Front, German Commander-in-Chief Falkenhayn drew down his forces on the Western Front.
An Ambassador's Memoirs Vol. I by Maurice Paléologue, page 340, publisher: George H. Doran Company, publication date: 1925
(5) Diary entry for May 21, 1915 by Belgian King Albert.
The War Diaries of Albert I King of the Belgians by Albert I, page 41, copyright © 1954, publisher: William Kimber
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