First Battle of the Isonzo

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=First Battle of the Isonzo
partof=the Italian Front
(World War I)


caption=Eleven Battles of the Isonzo
June 1915 — September 1917
date=June 23—July 7, 1915
place=Isonzo River, northeast Italy from the Monte Krn to the Adria
result=Italian victory
combatant1=flagicon|Italy|1861|size=25px Italy
combatant2=flag|Austria-Hungary|naval|size=25px
commander1=Luigi Cadorna,
Emanuele Filiberto
General Frugoni
commander2=General Svetozar Boroević
Major General Géza Lukachich von Somorja
Major GeneralNovak von Arienti
strength1=225,000 (18 divisions, 252 battalions, 111 cavalry squadrons, 700 guns)
strength2=115,000 (8 divisions, 84 battalions, 13 cavalry squadrons, 356 guns)
casualties1=16,000
casualties2=10,000

The First Battle of the Isonzo was fought between Italians and Austro-Hungarians on the Italian Front in World War I, between June 23 and July 7, 1915.

The Italians' aim was to drive the Austrians away from their defensive positions along the Isonzo River and on the nearby mountains.

Although the Italians enjoyed a 2:1 numeric superiority, their offensive failed because the Italian commander, Luigi Cadorna, employed frontal assaults after impressive (but short) artillery barrages. The Austrians had the advantage of fighting from uphill positions.

Early in July the Austrian commander, Svetozar Boroević, received two reinforcement divisions, which put an end to the Italian efforts at breaking through the Austrian lines.

The final Italian gains were minimal: a bridgehead at Tolmino, beyond the river, and the heights near Plezzo.

Involved units

{| class="prettytable"
bgcolor="#FF0000"|Italy |
-
2nd Army||3rd Army|||||
-
VII Corps||X Corps||XI Corps||VI Corps||II Corps
-
IV Corps|||||
-
13th Infantry Division||14th Infantry Division||20th Infantry Division||19th Infantry Division||21st Infantry Division
-
12th Infantry Division||11th Infantry Division||4th Infantry Division||3rd Infantry Division||32nd Infantry Division
-
7th Infantry Division||8th Infantry Division||Bersaglieri Division||Alpini Group A and B||half 29th Infantry Division
-
bgcolor="#FF0000"|Reserve|||||
-
XIV Corps|||||||
-
half 29th Infantry Division||22nd Infantry Division||28th Infantry Division||30th Infantry Division||23th Infantry Division
-
27th Infantry Division||33rd Infantry Division||1st Cavalry Division||2nd Cavalry Division||3rd Cavalry Division
-
bgcolor="#FF0000"|Headquarters|||||||
-
2nd Army in Udine||3rd Army in Cervigano|||

ee also

*Second Battle of the Isonzo - 18 July–3 August, 1915
*Third Battle of the Isonzo - 18 October–3 November, 1915
*Fourth Battle of the Isonzo - 10 November–2 December, 1915
*Fifth Battle of the Isonzo - 9–17 March, 1916
*Sixth Battle of the Isonzo - 6–17 August, 1916
*Seventh Battle of the Isonzo - 14–17 September, 1916
*Eighth Battle of the Isonzo - 10–12 October, 1916
*Ninth Battle of the Isonzo - 1–4 November, 1916
*Tenth Battle of the Isonzo - 12 May–8 June, 1917
*Eleventh Battle of the Isonzo - 19 August–12 September, 1917
*Twelfth Battle of the Isonzo - 24 October–7 November, 1917 also known as the Battle of Caporetto

References

* Österreichisches Staatsarchiv/Kriegsarchiv Wien
*L'esercito italiano nella grande guerra (1915-1918) Volume I - IV / Roma: Ministerio della Guerra - Ufficio Storico, 1929-1974
*Ministero della Guerra Stato Maggiore centrale - Ufficio Storico. "Guerra Italo-Austriaca 1915-18. Le medaglie d'Oro". Volume secondo - 1916. Roma: 1923
*"Österreich-Ungarns letzter Krieg 1914-1918" Band II Verlag der Militärwissenschftlichen Mitteilungen Wien 1931-1933
*Anton Graf Bossi-Fedrigotti: "Kaiserjäger - Ruhm und Ende". Stocker Verlag, Graz 1977

External references

* [http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/isonzo1.htm First Battle of the Isonzo, 1915] at FirstWorldWar.com
* [http://www.firstworldwar.com/maps/italianfront.htm Battlefield Maps: Italian Front]
* [http://www.worldwar1.com/itafront/isonzo11.htm 11 battles at the Isonzo]
* [http://www.potimiruvposocju.si/ The Walks of Peace in the Soča Region Foundation] . The Foundation preserves, restores and presents the historical and cultural heritage of the First World War in the area of the Isonzo Front for the study, tourist and educational purposes.
* [http://www.kobariski-muzej.si/ang/razstave.html The Kobarid Museum (in English)]
* [http://drustvo-soskafronta.si/ Društvo Soška Fronta (in Slovenian)]
* [http://prohereditate.com/en/ Pro Hereditate - extensive site (in En/It/Sl)]