Caporetto, Battle of, was an Austro-Hungarian and German assault on Italian forces during World War I (1914-1918). The battle took place in the autumn of 1917, from October 24 to November 10. It ended in a decisive Austro-Hungarian and German victory. Caporetto is the Italian name for Kobarid, a mountain village in present-day western Slovenia . Before the war, Caporetto was part of Austria-Hungary . By 1917, however, Italy had captured it. The town lies along the Isonzo River, site of extensive fighting during World War I. The Battle of Caporetto is also known as the 12th Battle of the Isonzo.
Background.
Austria-Hungary and Germany were allies during World War I. In May 1915, Italy entered the war against Austria-Hungary. The mountainous border between the two nations soon became a battlefront. Repeated Italian offensives gained little territory but caused both sides numerous casualties (people killed, wounded, or captured). By September 1917, the Austro-Hungarian army—also fighting Romania , Russia , and Serbia —was nearing collapse.
Hoping to delay further Italian attacks and give Austria-Hungary time to rebuild, Germany and Austria-Hungary planned a coordinated offensive along the Isonzo River. The Isonzo emerges from the Alps near Plezzo (now Bovec, Slovenia). South of Plezzo, the Italians held both banks of the river, with the exception of a small crossing near Tolmino (now Tolmin), just south of Caporetto. The Austro-German 14th Army secretly massed troops for the main assault along a 15-mile (25-kilometer) front from Plezzo to Tolmino. Additional forces would carry out smaller assaults all along the Italian Front.
The Italians expected an attack on the Isonzo, but they underestimated its size and strength. There were also multiple gaps in the Italian line, and the few reserve troops were poorly positioned.
The battle.
The Austro-German troops struck fiercely on the foggy morning of October 24, catching the Italians by surprise. The invading force used artillery, poison gas, and infantry tactics that had been developed on the Eastern Front against Russia. The Italian line collapsed. Thousands of Italian troops became trapped as Austro-German infantry raced deep into Italian territory.
Over the next several days, surviving Italian units withdrew some 20 miles (32 kilometers), abandoning their former headquarters at the city of Udine. They continued the retreat another 15 miles (24 kilometers) to the Tagliamento River. Austro-German forces closed in as the Italians struggled to cross the river.
Poor communication, dwindling supplies, and the loss of bridges blown up by the retreating Italians forced the Austro-German advance to pause at the Tagliamento. The delay allowed retreating Italian units to cross the Veneto plain all the way to the Piave River, just 18 miles (30 kilometers) north of Venice . There, the Italians established a strong, compact line, ending the Austro-German advance on November 10.
Aftermath.
Most of the casualties in the Battle of Caporetto happened in the first few days. About 10,000 Italians died, and some 30,000 were wounded. More than 250,000 became prisoners of war. The Austro-German force suffered roughly 20,000 killed and wounded.
The Austro-German troops advanced some 70 miles (112 kilometers), capturing a large chunk of Italian territory. Italy’s stunning defeat forced major changes in the country’s army as well as its government. The defeat also forced the British and French to send thousands of troops—who were badly needed on the Western Front—to strengthen the Italian lines.
Fighting along the Piave River continued into 1918. On October 24, the anniversary of the Battle of Caporetto, the Italians launched their own successful attack—the Battle of Vittorio Veneto. That battle forced the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian army. Austria-Hungary signed an armistice (agreement to end fighting) on November 3. World War I ended on November 11.
