Tuesday, 20 June 2017

La Grande Guerra +100 - June 1917: the battle of mount Ortigara

The June episode of the digital calendar that traces back the main events of World War I is now online

Versione stampabile

The 38th episode of the digital calendar www.lagrandeguerrapiu100.it takes you to the eastern slopes of the plains at the border between Italy and Austria to relive the battle of mount Ortigara.

«General Cadorna’s decision to engage there - we read on the website - was inspired by his stubbornness to attack, attack, always attack. It was important to push back to re-occupy the positions lost to the Austro-Hungarians the previous year in the Strafexpedition, a win back to raise the morale of the troops. It was a fierce battle because the Austro-Hungarians were well armed, and it caused a huge number of losses, especially on the Italian side, without achieving any tactical advantage. Another useless battle».

The testimony section offers precious recounts of the terrible battle from soldiers, officers, journalists and writers, including Paolo Monelli, who all fought in harsh conditions at 2,000 meters above sea level.

This battle helped shape the legendary status of Italian Alpine troops, the “Alpini”, who were sacrificed in useless attacks. The legendary status of the Italian Alpini is still alive today, in a different way.

The infographic shows the impressive growth in the production of weapons in Italy, due to a reorganization that centralized the manufacturing process. To conclude the episode, the biography of Austro-Hungarian pilot Gottfried de Banfield, a nobleman from Trieste, the flying ace of the Austro-Hungarian navy.

Follow the Great War Calendar on Facebook (La Grande Guerra più 100) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/GGpiu100).

Since May 2015 all the website content are available in English. Special features are prepared by historians from the universities of Innsbruck, Krakow and Montpellier, to learn about the other war fronts.
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