Isonzo
BATTLES OF. The river Isonzo rises in the Austrian Alps, near Luknia Pass, flows southward, along a devious course, for less than a hundred miles, then empties into the Gulf of Trieste, at the head of the Adriatic.
The river runs almost parallel with the old frontier between Italy and Austria, in what was, before the war, Austrian territory. Above Salsana the river runs through a deep ravine; then, below that, comes a level stretch in front of Gorizia, after which the hills rise and sweep down to the seacoast.
It was along this lower reach of the river, for a distance of about twenty miles, that the heaviest fighting of the Austrian-Italian front occurred, after Italy entered into the war, in 1915.
Hostilities having begun on May 24, 1915, General Cadorna deployed the whole of the Italian Third Army along the right bank of the Isonzo, between Tolmino and Monfalcone, and carried out a vigorous offensive, to gain a footing on the left bank, and so clear the way to Trieste. On May 26 Italian troops crossed the river at five points, Caporetto, Pluva, Castelnuovo, Gradisca, and Monfalcone, in spite of the extensive defense works built by the Austrians. The city of Gorizia, however, was too heavily fortified to be captured, and was accordingly besieged.
During November and December, 1915, the Italians made a series of most desperate attempts to storm the bridgehead at Gorizia and establish themselves on the Doberdo Plateau, rising from 350 to 650 feet above the river. Against Monte San Michele the Italian concentrated 1,500 guns. But the Austrian defenses proved too strong, and this first major battle on the Isonzo proved a victory for the Austrians. During the following winter (1915- 1916) the Italians were satisfied to mark time, but during the Spring of 1916 several engagements took place with very little advantage to either side. Most of the Italian attacks were directed against Gorizia, or its commanding positions.
On Aug. 4, 1916, the Italians again became active. After three days of continuous infantry attacks, the Austrians began to give way, and enough advance On May 12, 1917, another offensive was begun by the Italians, taking in the whole Austrian-Italian front, as well as the Isonzo. For days violent artillery firing continued, during which Gorizia, was almost pounded into ruins by the Austrian guns. For ten days intermittent attacks and counter-attacks were made by both sides, the fighting being sometimes hand to hand.
After an interval of comparative quiet, lasting a week, the battle broke out again with renewed fury, but by the end of May the Italians had not gained much ground, and the fighting gradually died grou down to the usual trench warfare. The Italians still held Gorizia, but this was an advantage more picturesque than real, for the Austrians held heights surrounding and commanding the city. At this time, in the summer of 1917, the front began some miles S. W. of Tolmino, run for a little more than five miles along the W. bank of the Isonzo, crossed it W. of the village of Decla, ran along the E. bank for another five miles, then, opposite a bend in the river, turned south for still another five miles to San Marco, running at a distance of about a mile and a half E. of Gorizia, and then twisted south for some fifteen miles, crossing in its course the valley of the Vipacco river, down to the Gulf of Trieste, where it ended about two miles S. E. of Monfalcone.
On Aug. 19, 1917, the Italians began another strong offensive. During the following week Monte San Gabriele was the center of the battle, changing hands again and again. Finally, on Sept. 11, the Italians definitely gained possession, but were obliged to hold this important point against severe pressure from the poi Austrians, until, near the middle of the month, a period of comparative calm sucd ceeded. On the whole, the Italians had made considerable gains along their whole front, as well as on the Isonzo, but the heaviest fighting had been here. the whole the Italians From now on followed a period comparatively uneventful, until Oct. 20, 1917, when intense activity again began, but this time it was not the Italians whe ISOPERIMETRICAL initiated the offensive. The Austrians, reinforced by troops from the Russian front, and by large contingents of Germans, began a determined effort to drive the Italians back into Italy. The battle on the Isonzo front was really only one phase of the fighting along the whole Austrian-Italian line .
For several days the Italians succeeded in holding the onrushes of the Teutons in check, ek, but as reinforcements continued streaming in, the Italian line began gradually to sag, with breaks appearing here and there .
On Oct. 28, 1917, Gorizia again fell into the hands of the Austrians. Violent storms and heavy rains broke over the Isonzo district, but without any noticeable decrease in the energy of the Austrian-German attacks. Thousands of Italians were taken prisoners and much war material had to be abandoned.
On Oct. 29, 1917, Udine was taken by the Teutons, Cividale had been taken the day before. Both towns were of great strategic importance, Udine being a railroad junction.
The Austrian drive continued, with further disaster to the Italians. They retreated, until they made their last and successful stand along the Piave (q. v.), but with the loss of Cividale and Udine the battles on the Isonzo came to an end, to be continued in the battles of the Piave. The Isonzo was now, for the time being, almost entirely in the hands of the Austrians.