Solferino << `SAHL` fuh REE noh >> , Battle of, was fought by the armies of France and Piedmont against Austrian forces on June 24, 1859. The bloody battle took place around the town of Solferino, in Lombardy , a region of northern Italy . At that time, Austria controlled Lombardy and northeastern Italy. The battle ended in a Franco-Piedmontese victory, and Lombardy passed to Piedmontese control. Solferino was the decisive and final battle of the Franco-Austrian War of 1859, also known as the Second War of Italian Independence or the Austro-Sardinian War. Shortly after the war, other Italian regions joined with Piedmont, leading to the creation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
The lack of care for the wounded at Solferino helped lead to the creation of the Red Cross . Members of this worldwide network of organizations work to relieve human suffering.
Background.
Piedmont is a region of northwestern Italy. In 1720, it joined with the island of Sardinia to form the independent Kingdom of Sardinia . Because the kingdom’s capital was in Piedmont, in Turin , the kingdom is often referred to simply as Piedmont. In 1848, revolutionary riots broke out in nearby Lombardy and other Italian areas under Austrian control. Piedmont, hoping to take advantage of the unrest and unite Italy, declared war on Austria. The Piedmontese were defeated in this First War of Italian Independence (1848-1849).
Looking for outside help, Piedmont’s Prime Minister Camillo Benso, Count di Cavour , made a secret pact with French Emperor Napoleon III in 1858. France agreed to support Piedmont in a war with Austria in return for Piedmontese-controlled Nice and Savoy .
In April 1859, Piedmont provoked Austria into declaring war. France, now a Piedmontese ally, was drawn into the conflict. In the war’s first battle on May 20, an outnumbered Franco-Piedmontese force defeated the Austrians at Montebello. Franco-Piedmontese forces then won battles at Palestro and Magenta before entering Milan , the Lombard capital, in June. After a small battle at Melegnano, the enemy armies met unexpectedly at Solferino south of Lake Garda .
The Franco-Piedmontese forces at Solferino included about 138,000 troops and some 320 guns. The Austrian army had about 129,000 troops and around 400 guns. Artillery played a huge role in battles of that era. Heavy guns could turn the tide of a battle, and they caused horrific injuries.
The battle.
Early on the morning of June 24, French troops encountered a larger Austrian force at Medole, south of Solferino. Despite being outnumbered there, French troops repelled repeated Austrian attacks throughout the day. At San Martino, north of Solferino, stiff Austrian defenses halted Piedmontese attacks. Between these actions, the main French force hit the Austrians along the well-defended ridge and town of Solferino. Morning French assaults—launched before French artillery was in position to help—were costly failures. Later attacks, supported by heavy fire from French guns, succeeded and drove the Austrians from Solferino.
As the Austrian center retreated, Austrian forces north and south of Solferino also withdrew. The exhausted Franco-Piedmontese forces were unable to give chase, however, and the bulk of the Austrian army escaped.
Aftermath.
The French and Piedmontese suffered over 17,000 casualties (people killed, wounded, captured, or missing) at Solferino. Austrian losses totaled more than 22,000. The bloodiness of the battle—along with the threat of intervention by the Germanic nation of Prussia —convinced Napoleon III to seek peace with Austria. A treaty awarded Lombardy to France, which gave the region to Piedmont. Other parts of Italy then united with Piedmont to form the Kingdom of Italy.
The Swiss philanthropist Jean Henri Dunant was in Solferino immediately after the battle, and he was horrified by the suffering of the wounded. His book, Recollections of Solferino (1862), influenced the rulers of Europe and resulted in the creation of the international Red Cross movement. Dunant’s efforts also led to the first Geneva Convention , a treaty drawn up in 1864 between 16 nations to provide for the humane treatment of prisoners and wounded during wartime.
In 1866, Austria and the young Kingdom of Italy fought again in the Third War of Italian Independence. The war ended in a draw, but, at the same time, Austria lost a war with Prussia. As a result, Italy gained Venice and the region of Venetia. In 1870, the Risorgimento (unification of Italy) was completed by the Italian capture of Rome and the dissolution of the Papal States .
