Thompson Werk

Ninety-four years ago, Austria-Hungary and Italy slugged it out in the first of twelve battles along the Isonzo River. Having just entered the Great War on behalf of the Entente, the Italians endeavored to make a quick and substantial impact on the territory under the control of the Austrian-Hungarian forces along their border. With the aim of driving the forces of Austria-Hungary off the Isonzo River and out of the eastern sector (modern day Slovenia), the Italians launched poorly planned infantry based assaults on 23 June 1915.

Lessons of the Western Front were not reflected in the Italians attacks, with infantry assaulting fortified positions with inadequate artillery support. The Austrian-Hungarian forces had entrenched themselves on higher ground, much like their German counterparts had in France and Belgium. Even with superior numbers in both men and artillery, by 7 July the Italians had made meager gains while sustaining heavy casualties. Italy lost 300,000 men as a result of all eleven Isonzo battles, nearly half of all Italian First World War casualties. The Austrian-Hungarian military sustained 200,000 casualties on the Italian front. By wars end, both belligerents exchanged small tracks of mountainous land for large amounts of wounded and dead.

In modern times, the Isonzo battles have been overshadowed by the epic engagements that transpired on the Western Front. Austrians and Italians, however, remember the enormous human sacrifices both nations made in the name of empire.