First Battle of the Isonzo

First Battle of the Isonzo
Part of the Italian Front (World War I)
Eleven Battles of the Isonzo June 1915 — September 1917
Date 23 June — 7 July 1915 Location Soča river, north-west Slovenia from the mountain Krn to the Gulf of Trieste Result Austro-Hungarian tactical victory
Belligerents
Italy	Austria-Hungary
Commanders and leaders
Luigi Cadorna, Emanuele Filiberto General Frugoni	General Svetozar Boroević Major General Géza Lukachich von Somorja Major GeneralNovak von Arienti
Strength
225,000 (18 divisions, 252 battalions, 111 cavalry squadrons, 700 guns)	115,000 (8 divisions, 84 battalions, 13 cavalry squadrons, 356 guns)
Casualties and losses
14,947	9,950

The First Battle of the Isonzo was fought between the Armies of Italy and Austria-Hungary on the Italian Front in World War I, between 23 June and 7 July 1915.

The aim of the Italian Army was to drive the Austrians away from its defensive positions along the Soča (Isonzo) 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 barricaded with barbed wire which were able to easily resist the Italian assault.

The heaviest fighting occurred around Gorizia where Italian troops were able to advance as far as the suburbs, only to be later repelled.

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: in the northern sector, they conquered the heights over Bovec (Mount Kanin); in the southern sector, they conquered the westernmost ridges of the Kras plateau near Fogliano Redipuglia and Monfalcone.

Involved units

See also

Solkan (left) and the Soča (Isonzo)

Austro-Hungarian trench at the Soča (Isonzo)

• Austria–Hungary
• History of Austria
• Italy in World War I
• World War I

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

Further reading

• Page, Thomas Nelson, (1920) "Italy and the World War". New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, Full Text Available Online.

External links

• First Battle of the Isonzo, 1915 at FirstWorldWar.com
• Battlefield Maps: Italian Front
• 11 battles at the Isonzo
• 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.
• The Kobarid Museum (in English)
• Društvo Soška Fronta (in Slovenian)
• Pro Hereditate - extensive site (in En/It/Sl)

Coordinates: 45°56′33″N 13°36′09″E / 45.94250°N 13.60250°E / 45.94250; 13.60250