Battle of Caporetto 1917 WW1

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Battle of Caporetto 1

Battle of Caporetto

The Battle of Caporetto (also known as the Twelfth Battle of the Isonzo or the Battle of Karfreit as it was known

by the Central Powers), took place from 24 October to 19 November 1917, near the town of Kobarid (now in

Slovenia), on the Austro-Italian front of World War I. The battle was named after the Italian name of the town of

Kobarid (known asKarfreitin German).

Austro-Hungarian forces, reinforced by German units, were able to break into the Italian front line and rout the

Italian army, which had practically no mobile reserves. The battle was a demonstration of the effectiveness of the use

of stormtroopers and the infiltration tactics developed in part by Oskar von Hutier. The use of poison gas by the

Germans played a key role in the collapse of the Italian Second Army.[1]

Battle

The Isonzo river, location of the initial attacks at

Kobarid (Caporetto).

The German offensive began at approximately 02:00 on 24

October 1917. Due to the inclement weather that morning,

particularly the mist,[2] the Italians were caught by complete

surprise. The battle opened with a German artillery barrage, poison

gas, and smoke, and was followed by an all-out assault against the

Italian lines.[3]

The Italians had outdated gas masks, gave no

counter fire and had given the Germans all the weather

information they needed over their radio.[4]

The defensive line of

the Italian Second Army was breached almost immediately. The

German forces made extensive use of flamethrowers and hand

grenades as a part of their infiltration tactics, and were able to tear

gaping holes in the Italian line, especially in the Italian strongholds on Mount Matajur and the Kolovrat Range. By

the end of the first night, von Below's men had advanced a remarkable 25 km ( mi). German and Austro-Hungarian

attacks from either side of von Below's central column were less effective, however. The Italian Army had been able

to repel the majority of these attacks, but the success of von Below's central thrust threw the entire Italian Army into

disarray. Forces had to be moved along the Italian front in an attempt to stem von Below's breakout, but this only

weakened other points along the line and invited further attacks. At this point, the entire Italian position on the

Tagliamento River was under threat.

2nd army commander Luigi Capello was Italy's best general but was bedridden with fever while still retaining

command. Realizing his forces were ill-prepared for this attack and were being routed, Capello requested permission

to withdraw back to the Tagliamento. He was overruled by Cadorna, however, who believed that the Italian force

could regroup and hold out against the attackers. Finally, on 30 October, Cadorna ordered the majority of the Italian

force to retreat to the other side of the river. It took the Italians four full days to cross the river, and by this time the

German and Austro-Hungarian armies were on their heels. By 2 November, a German division had established a

bridgehead on the Tagliamento. About this time, however, the rapid success of the attack caught up with them. The

German and Austro-Hungarian supply lines were stretched to breaking point, and as a result, they were not able to

launch another concerted attack. Cadorna took advantage of this to retreat further, and by 10 November had

established a position on the Piave River.[2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Piave_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tagliamento_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kolovrat_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Matajurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Infiltration_tacticshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hand_grenadehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hand_grenadehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flamethrowerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Poison_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Poison_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Artilleryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ASoca_Kobarid.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Isonzohttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Poison_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Oskar_von_Hutierhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Infiltration_tacticshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stormtroopershttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kingdom_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=German_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Austria-Hungaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=World_War_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Italian_Campaign_%28World_War_I%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sloveniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kobaridhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Central_Powers


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Failures of German Logistics

Even before the battle, Germany was struggling to feed and supply its armies in the field. Erwin Rommel, who, as a

junior officer, won the Pour le Mrite for his exploits in the battle, often bemoaned the demands placed upon his

"poorly fed troops".[5]

The Allied blockade of the German Empire, which the Kaiserliche Marine had been unable to

break, was responsible for food shortages and widespread malnutrition in Germany and the Central Powers in

general. When inadequate provisioning was combined with the gruelling night marches preceding the battle of

Caporetto (Kobarid), a heavy toll was extracted from the German and Austro-Hungarian forces. Despite these

logistical problems, the initial assault was extremely successful. However, as the area controlled by the combined

Central Powers forces expanded, an already limited logistical capacity was overstrained. By the time the attack

reached the Piave, the soldiers of the Central Powers were running low on supplies and were feeling the physical

effects of exhaustion.[5]

As the Italians began to counter the pressure put on them by the Central Powers, the German

forces lost all momentum and were once again caught up in another round of attrition warfare.

Aftermath

Italian losses were enormous: 10,000 were killed, 30,000 wounded and 265,000 were taken prisoner

morale was solow among the Italian troops, mainly due to Cadorna's harsh disciplinary regime, that most of these surrendered

willingly. Furthermore, roughly 3,000 guns, 3,000 machine guns and 2,000 mortars were captured, along with an

untold amount of stores and equipment.[6]

Rommel, then an Oberleutnant, captured 1,500 men and 43 officers with

just 3 riflemen and 2 officers to help.[4]

Austro-Hungarian and German forces advanced more than 100 km ( mi) in

the direction of Venice, but they were not able to cross the Piave River. Although to this point the Italians had been

left to fight on their own, after Kobarid (Caporetto) they were reinforced by six French infantry divisions and five

British infantry divisions as well as sizeable air contingents. However, these troops played no role in stemming the

advancing Germans and Austro-Hungarians, because they were deployed on the Mincio River, some 60 miles behind

the Piave, as the British and French strategists did not believe the Piave line could be held. The Piave served as a

natural barrier where the Italians could establish a new defensive line, which was held during the subsequent Battleof the Piave River and later served as springboard for the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, where the Austro-Hungarian

army was finally defeated after four days of stiff resistance.

Marshal Luigi Cadorna

The battle led to the conference at Rapallo and the creation of a

Supreme War Council, with the aim of improving Allied military

co-operation and developing a unified strategy.[6]

Luigi Cadorna was forced to resign after the defeat. The defeat alone

was not the sole cause, but rather the breaking point for an

accumulation of failures, as perceived by the Italian Prime Minister,

Vittorio Emanuele Orlando. Throughout much of his command,

including at Kobarid (Caporetto), Cadorna was known to have

maintained poor relations with the other generals on his staff.[7]

By

the start of the battle he had sacked 217 generals, 255 colonels and

355 battalion commanders.[8]

In addition, he was detested by his

troops as being too harsh.[9]

He was replaced by Armando Diaz and

Pietro Badoglio. He had already been directing the battle 20 miles

behind before fleeing another 100 miles to Padua.

This led governments to the realization that fear alone could not

adequately motivate a modern army. After the defeat at Caporetto,
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paduahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ACadorna1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ACadorna1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ACadorna1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ACadorna1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Armando_Diazhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ACadorna1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ACadorna1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ACadorna1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pietro_Badogliohttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ACadorna1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paduahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ACadorna1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ACadorna1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ACadorna1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ACadorna1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paduahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pietro_Badogliohttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Armando_Diazhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vittorio_Emanuele_Orlandohttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Luigi_Cadornahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Supreme_War_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rapallohttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ACadorna1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Luigi_Cadornahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Vittorio_Venetohttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_the_Piave_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_the_Piave_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mincio_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_Kingdom_of_Great_Britain_and_Irelandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Piave_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Venicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Attrition_warfarehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Central_Powershttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kaiserliche_Marinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blockadehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pour_le_M%C3%A9ritehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Erwin_Rommel


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Italian propaganda offices were established, promising land and social justice to soldiers. Italy also accepted a more

cautious military strategy from this point on. General Diaz concentrated his efforts on rebuilding his shattered forces

while taking advantage of the national rejuvenation that had been spurred by invasion and defeat.

After this battle, the term "Caporetto" gained a particular resonance in Italy. It is used to denote a terrible defeat

the failed General Strike of 1922 by the socialists was referred to by Mussolini as the "Caporetto of Italian

Socialism". Many years after the war, Caporetto was still being used to destroy the credibility of the liberal state.

[7]

Popular culture

The Battle of Caporetto has been the subject of a number of books. The Swedish author F.J. Nordstedt (i.e. Christian

Braw) wrote about the battle in his novel Caporetto. The bloody aftermath of Caporetto was vividly described by

Ernest Hemingway in his novelA Farewell to Arms. Curzio Malaparte wrote an excoriation of the battle in his first

book, Viva Caporetto, published in 1921. It was censored by the state and suppressed; it was finally published in

1980.

References[1] Seth, Ronald (1965). Caporetto: The Scapegoat Battle. Macdonald. p. 147

[2] Stearns, Peter; Langer, William (2001). The Encyclopedia of World History (6th ed.). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 669.

ISBN 0-395-65237-5.

[3] Dupuy & Dupuy (1970), p. 971

[4][4] Geoffrey Regan, More Military Blunders, page 161

[5] Macksey, Kenneth (1997).Rommel: Battles and Campaigns. Da Capo Press. pp. 224. ISBN 0-306-80786-6.

[6] Simkins, Peter; Jukes, Geoffrey; Hickey, Michael (2003). The First World War. Osprey Publishing. pp. 352. ISBN 1-84176-738-7.

[7] Townley, Edward (2002). Collier, Martin. ed.Mussolini and Italy. Heinemann. p. 16. ISBN 0-435-32725-9.

[8][8] Geoffrey Regan, More Military Blunders, page 160

[9] Morselli, Mario (2001). Caporetto, 1917: Victory Or Defeat?. Routledge. p. 133. ISBN 0-7146-5073-0.

Further reading

Connelly, O. On War and Leadership: The Words of Combat Commanders from Frederick the Great to Norman

Schwarzkopf, 2002 ISBN 0-691-03186-X

Dupuy R. E., &, Dupuy, T. N., The Encyclopedia of Military History, (revised edition), Jane's Publishing

Company, 1970, SBN 356 02998 0

Morselli, M. Caporetto 1917: Victory or Defeat?, 2001 ISBN 0-7146-5073-0

Reuth, R. G.Rommel: The End of a Legend, 2005 ISBN 1-904950-20-5

Seth, Ronald: Caporetto: The Scapegoat Battle. Macdonald, 1965

External links Walks of Peace in the Soea Region Foundation: The Battles of the Isonzo, 191517 (http://www.

potimiruvposocju.si/_en/index.php?lang=en&page=soskafronta)

Pro Hereditate: The Isonzo Front (http://prohereditate.com/en/)

(Italian) La Grande Guerra: Novant'anni fa la Battaglia di Caporetto (http://www.lagrandeguerra.net/

ggcaporettoriflettere.html)

The Battle of Caporetto, 1917 (http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/caporetto.htm)
http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/caporetto.htmhttp://www.lagrandeguerra.net/ggcaporettoriflettere.htmlhttp://www.lagrandeguerra.net/ggcaporettoriflettere.htmlhttp://prohereditate.com/en/http://www.potimiruvposocju.si/_en/index.php?lang=en&page=soskafrontahttp://www.potimiruvposocju.si/_en/index.php?lang=en&page=soskafrontahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Viva_Caporettohttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curzio_Malapartehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A_Farewell_to_Armshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ernest_Hemingwayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F.J._Nordstedthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Socialismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=General_Strike_of_1922


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Article Sources and Contributors 4

Article Sources and ContributorsBattle of Caporetto Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=539060430 Contributors: -Ilhador-, Ab6536, Addihockey10, Airbornelawyer, Airplaneman, Albrecht, Alex1011,

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Gozar, Gr8opinionater, GreatWhiteNortherner, Greg Tyler, Grutness, Gsl, Hamish59, Hirpex, Howcheng, Iohannes Animosus, Iridescent, Italia2006, Ivan Bajlo, Jedgeco, Jeff G., Jeremy

Bentham, Jun Kayama, Kampfers, KulltheValusian, Labattblueboy, Lawrencema, LeadSongDog, Leszek Jaczuk, Likeem, Lucifero4, Lugia2453, Mackensen, Maher27777, Maproom,

Meteor2017, MiLo28, Missmarple, Moagim, NEMT, NewFreedom, Nigel Ish, Noclador, Obradovic Goran, Pan Brerus, Panairjdde, PaulVIF, Peter Chastain, Pleroma, Pontauxchats, Qgaliana,Rcsprinter123, RenamedUser01302013, Restu20, Ro0103, Robfwoods, Roger Davies, Rolerus, Romanm, SGGH, Satan, Sliggy, SoLando, Sparafucil, SwordSmurf, Tabletop, Tainter, Thaigear,

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Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:Soca Kobarid.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Soca_Kobarid.jpg License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: Besednjak, Dani 7C3, Juiced lemon,

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Battle of Caporetto 1917 WW1

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