#boroevic

[today-in-wwi]

Marshal Boroevic Dies

Boroević’s tomb in Vienna.

May 23 1920, Klagenfurt--After the Armistice of Villa Giusti, Boroević was prepared to march the remnants of his army north to Vienna in defense of his Emperor.  When Emperor Charles left peacefully for exile instead, Boroević disbanded his headquarters and offered his services to Yugoslavia, hoping to continue to defend his homeland from Italy.  The Serbian-dominated government refused this suggestion (even though Boroević was himself a Serb); they did not want competition from someone many in Yugoslavia viewed as a war hero.  His possessions in Croatia were seized by the new government, and he was denied entry.  He settled near his final headquarters in Klagenfurt, renting a two-room cottage thanks to the generosity of his former officers.  On May 23, 1920, he suffered a stroke while swimming and died, and was buried in Vienna in a tomb paid for by his former emperor.

Sources include: John R. Schindler, Isonzo.

[today-in-wwi]

Massive Austrian Offensives In Italy

Italian Marines arrive on the Piave.

June 15 1918, Merano--To appease the Germans, the Austrians had committed to serious offensives against Italy, in the same fashion that the Germans had attacked the British and French throughout the Spring.  Conrad (in the Trentino) and Austrian Chief of Staff  Arz von Straußenburg were both enthusiastic about the idea, Boroević (on the Piave) thought it was a mistake, but drew up plans anyway.  Arz and Emperor Charles eventually agreed on a compromise plan, of sorts; Conrad would attack south from the Asiago plateau (as he had in 1916), hoping to outflank the Italians on their left, while Boroević would cross the Piave and push towards Treviso.  Supplies and reserves were divided between the two generals, leaving both unhappy.  The offensive was set to go forward on June 11; Boroević begged for a two-week delay to let the spring floodwaters on the Piave subside, but ultimately he was only given four days.

The Italians had plenty of warning that an Austrian attack was coming.  The Allies had aerial superiority in the theater, and could conduct extensive reconnaissance of Austrian preparations.  Austrian field telephones were also, unlike the Allied models, vulnerable to eavesdropping.  Most important was information from Austrian deserters, especially Czechs, who readily gave up what intelligence they knew.  The Italians expected and were not fooled by the diversion at Tonale Pass, and were ready for the main blows to fall further east.  On the Asiago plateau, the Italians were even able to start their own counter-barrage before the Austrians began shelling.

Nevertheless, Austrians had some initial success on the Asiago plateau; the British defenders there were taken by surprise due to a heavy fog, having only expected a bombardment and not an infantry attack.  However, British and Italian counterattacks stopped and even reversed the Austrian advance by the next morning; the French never lost any ground to begin with.  Even by noon, it was apparent that Conrad’s attack would not succeed, and Emperor Charles informed Boroević by telephone that “the Army of Tyrol is defeated.”  The Italians, who had the advantage of interior lines of communication, were quickly able to move reserves to the Piave.

Boroević’s forces had managed to cross the Piave despite the floodwaters and advanced up to two miles in places.  However, they suffered greatly from the Italian artillery, which had not been taken out by the Austrian bombardment due to poor spotting.  They also ran into severe supply difficulties; due to Allied air attacks and the high waters, only one pontoon bridge was successfully built across the river, and supplies and artillery remained on the eastern bank of the Piave.

Today in 1917: Espionage Act Passed; Emma Goldman Arrested Today in 1916: Austrians Make Final Attacks in Trentino Today in 1915:  Deadly Zeppelin Raid on Tyneside

Sources include: John R. Schindler, Isonzo; David Stevenson, With Our Backs to the Wall; Mark Thompson, The White War.

[today-in-wwi]

Austrians Call Off Piave Offensive

June 20 1918, Montello--After five days, the Austrian offensive had captured several bridgeheads across the Piave, but had failed to break the Italians.  They had suffered over 100,000 casualties, and with their river crossings constantly under attack from Allied planes and artillery, many of the wounded could not be evacuated back across the river.  Italian counterattacks had been held off so far, but that was no guarantee that would hold.  It was clear that the Austrians would make no further forward progress, but there was considerable debate as to how to proceed.  Many generals wanted to dig in and prepare for another offensive, launching from the Montello bridgehead.  Boroević recognized the Montello’s tactical value, knew that it held no value if they would never launch another offensive anyway.  It would also take a significant commitment of troops they did not have to fully secure the Montello from Italian counterattack.  On June 20, Boroević cabled Chief of Staff Arz and Emperor Charles: “As the Monarchy...has loyally fulfilled its duties as an ally...and cannot face the risk of remaining...I propose to withdraw...behind the Piave.”

Emperor Charles’ other commanders largely concurred with Boroević’s assessment; Arz informed him that another attack would not be possible for at least a month, and in the meantime they would have to hold off Italian counterattacks.  The Germans also implicitly weighed in, asking for six Austrian divisions for service in France.  That evening, Emperor Charles ordered a withdrawal back across the Piave.  The Austrians would not attack Italy again.

Sources include: Mark Thompson, The White War; Randal Gray, Chronicle of the First World War; David Stevenson, With Our Backs to the Wall.

Today in 1917: Sailors Begin To Have Say in Food Supply on German Ships Today in 1916: Kipling Publishes Short Piece in Praise of UK Submariners Today in 1915: Castelnau, Pétain Promoted

[today-in-wwi]

Austrians Commit Final Reserves Across the Piave

June 17 1918, Montello--Two days into the Austrian offensive, Conrad’s efforts on the Asiago had entirely stalled, and the Austrians committed everything they had left to Boroević’s forces on the Piave.  The Austrians attacked from their bridgeheads on the morning of the 17th; in some places they advanced nearly two miles, but there was no breakthrough to be had in the Italian lines.  That evening, Boroević committed the last fresh divisions he had to the battle; any more reserves would trickle in piecemeal, at best.  Boroević hoped that an upside of Conrad’s defeat on the Asiago was that troops could be transferred from that sector; however, fighting remained heavy there, and travel through the mountains and across the pre-war frontier took far too long.

Exacerbating the Austrians’ woes was their supply situation.  Shell supply was extremely short, and the batteries were rationing their use from the second day.  Getting supplies across the Piave was difficult on the limited number of bridges.  On the night of the 17th, the Piave’s waters rose even higher, breaking many of the pontoons the Austrians had managed to erect.

Today in 1917: Zeppelin Shot Down in Ill-Advised Raid Today in 1916: Moltke the Younger Dies Today in 1915:  Armenians Organize Resistance to Deportation in Shabinkarahisar

Sources include: Randal Gray, Chronicle of the First World War; John R. Schindler, Isonzo.

[today-in-wwi]

Austrians Maintain Hold on Mt. San Gabriele

Mt San Gabriele, pictured after the Italian retreat from the area next month.

September 11 1917, Mt. San Gabriele--The Italian successes on the Bainsizza plateau in August soon became bogged down in attempts to take Mt. San Gabriele, which guarded the Vipacco valley above Gorizia.  If it were taken, Cadorna was convinced that the Italians could push on towards Ljubljana to the east, and outflank the Austrian defenses guarding Trieste.  On September 4, Cadorna renewed attacks on the mountaintop, taking it briefly.  Boroevic was equally convinced as to the mountain’s importance, and devoted his last reserves to the battle, retaking the mountain that afternoon.  However, he thought he could not hold onto it for long.

Over the next week, the fight for the mountain continued, in incredibly close quarters.  During a brief pause in the battle one night, an Austrian mail carrier got lost and delivered his mail to the Italians instead.  On September 8, Cadorna simply began trying to destroy the mountain, bombarding it with such intensity that its peak was reduced by more than thirty feet over the next three days.  A defending Austrian recalled: “Who could full describe this San Gabriele, this sort of Moloch which swallows up a regiment every three or four days...”

On the night of September 11, Boroevic was able to scrounge up two elite companies of shock troops and backed them up with a whole artillery brigade.  They pushed the Italians clear from the mountaintop, reversing the gains the Italians had paid for with over 10,000 casualties over the previous week.  This was to be the furthest the Italians would push until the final days of the war.

Today in 1916: GOP Optimistic After Maine Election Victories; Bridge Collapse on the St. Lawrence Today in 1915: French Disagreements About the Dardanelles Today in 1914: Battle of the Masurian Lakes; Russians Withdraw from East Prussia

Sources include: John R. Schindler, Isonzo

[today-in-wwi]

Italian Breakthrough on the Isonzo

August 22 1917, Gorizia--The initial Italian attacks in the Eleventh Battle of the Isonzo had made progress mostly on the Bainsizza plateau.  After continued attacks, by the evening of August 21 the Italians had opened up a gap a mile wide in the Austrian lines.  The next morning, the Italians, with the help of Fiat trucks, had been able to rush up further reinforcements to exploit this.  The Austrians, on the other hand, were nearly out of reserves and had a truck shortage; no reserves could reach the Bainsizza for another twenty four hours.  This would prove to be too late.

On August 22, the Italians completely overran the last Austrian lines on the Bainsizza and began advancing into the undefended forests beyond.  One Austrian said that "the human wall that had withstood ten battles has burst." Boroevic met with Emperor Charles, who happened to be visiting the front, that afternoon, and informed him of the gravity of the situation.  Charles, who had witnessed the ferocity of the fighting to the west, soon agreed with Boroevic that there was no choice but to order a retreat off of the Bainsizza plateau and hope to regroup to the east before the Italians could exploit their victory.  At 9PM, Boroevic ordered a general retreat for the next day, hoping that a final artillery barrage could provide some cover for it.

Today in 1916: Turkey Sends Troops to the Eastern Front Today in 1915: Wilson Threatens to Break Off Diplomatic Relations with Germany Today in 1914: Ludendorff and Hindenburg Dispatched to Eastern Front

[today-in-wwi]

Austrian Counterattacks End Tenth Battle of the Isonzo

June 4 1917, Jamiano--The latest Italian offensive had ended on May 28, having won (at great cost) many of the hills around Plava and some modest gains on the Karst--the most success the Italians had had since the capture of Gorizia.  The Austrians had once again prevented a breakthrough, though they had suffered tremendously as well.  Despite their heavy losses, Boroević was determined to retake some of the lost ground, and had been ordering local counterattacks.

One of the most successful of these came on the southern Karst on June 4. After a brief yet accurate barrage before dawn, Austrian stormtroopers (many freshly arrived from the Eastern Front) attacked the Italian positions reeling from the barrage.  They successfully seized their objectives, advancing more than a third of a mile and capturing over 7,000 prisoners in a few hours.  In many places, the Italians had surrendered without resistance.  Cadorna, outraged that his few gains were being reversed, launched counterattacks the next day to little effect; the Tenth Battle of the Isonzo was over by the end of June 5.

Neither army was in a condition to continue the fight.  Both sides had suffered around 60% casualties, though the Italians had suffered four times as many killed.  An ominous signal of Italian morale was that more of their troops had been captured than the Austrians, despite being on the offensive.

Today in 1916: The Brusilov Offensive Today in 1915: Third Allied Attack at Krithia on Gallipoli

Sources include: John R. Schindler, Isonzo; Mark Thompson, The White War; Randal Gray, Chronicle of the First World War.

[today-in-wwi]

Huge Bombardment Opens Tenth Battle of the Isonzo

A few British artillery pieces did help the Italians; here a howitzer crew rests in a camouflaged position two days before the battle.

May 12 1917, Plava--Initial plans for Italy in 1917 had featured an Italian offensive to be conducted early in the year, in conjunction with a renewed Allied push on the Somme.  These plans changed when Joffre was replaced by Nivelle, and despite proposals to lend the Italians artillery, completely fell apart by early February, when Cadorna informed Nivelle that any Italian attack would come after Nivelle’s planned offensive.

The Italians thus had over six months to prepare for a renewed push on the Isonzo.  Unlike the previous battles, which had mainly focused on the Karst plateau to the south of Gorizia, the initial drive in the Tenth Battle of the Isonzo would take place on the Bainsizza [Banjška] plateau to the north, with the attack on the Karst to come later once reserves had been diverted.  Unlike with previous offensives, the Italians were careful to hide their preparations: concealing troop movements, minimizing radio chatter, and taking advantage of the poor weather in April and early May.  The Austrians knew an Italian attack was coming at some point, but were unsure exactly when or where it would occur.  Around May 8, improving weather and an increased rate of Italian desertions meant the Austrians knew an offensive was imminent, though a lull in Italian activity on May 10 and 11 meant Boroević for a moment thought he had received a reprieve.

However, at dawn on May 12, Italian guns opened a massive barrage along a thirty-mile front--giving no indication of where the Italian infantry would attack, if at the expense of a concentration of firepower.  The Austrian guns, outnumbered nearly two-to-one, could not keep up without risking being knocked out themselves.  A Scottish volunteer in the area recalled:

...this extraordinary strip of hell, right down 2,000 feet below like a volcanic rift in the ground, full of noise and black smoke...the [Austrian] trench line stood out as the base of a continuous smoking wall of dirty black fumes.

Today in 1916: Executions of Easter Rising Leaders End Today in 1915: South Africans Capture Capital of German South-West Africa

Sources include: John R. Schindler; Isonzo; Mark Thompson, The White War.