New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-05
Why the Alpini Have
Faile d to Pierce
AuStria's Noun.
tain Barrier.

q
great to threaten the Gorilla position. The
storming of Monte Nero near Tomino has
been described by Italian and denied by
Austrian bulletins. The Trieste-Villach
railroad seems to have been cut here. but
Enthusiastically the Austrians are maintain
ing their position and the Italians have
been unable to make any real advance, be.
yond that Of the opening dash.
1t remains now to discuss the operations
Immediately about Gorilla, which have
been the most considerable and costly OF
the whole campaign.
Gorizia
The length of the Gorilla battle front
may be estimated at about twenty-five
miles. 1t extends, roughly speaking, from
PLAYA, where the Isonzo approaches the
Italian plain, to the Carso Plateau, just
north of the Adriatic and little east OF
Monfalcone. Gorilla is about in the
centre Except at the hill of Podgora. the
Austrian line is on the east side of the
Isonzo, but this hill, commanding the
bridge heads and the town itself. which
lies in the plain, is the key TO the whole
position and is west of the river.
South of Gorilla the Isonzo makes a
wide bend to the west and then to the
east, entering the Adriatic near Mon
falcone. But here the Austrian line
crosses the Carso Plateau, making the
string to the bow, which is the curve of
the river. The main Austrian position
is near the town of Doberdo, which has
figured frequently in the bulletins of Wen
na and Rome.
In the opening days of the war the Ital-
ans rushed forward from their territory,
few miles west Of the Isonzo to the
river towns of Gradisca and Monfalcone,
captured both and crossed the river. They
also forced crossing of the river TO the
north about PLAYA. But here and TO the
south they quickly encountered the Aus
trians in prepared positions, and the IA
miliar trench war resulted.
Early in August both Vienna and Rome
agreed that the Italians made series
of attacks, preceded by artillery. These
attacks were desperate efforts to force
: the lines still held by relatively small
Austrian forces, before German or Aus
trian reinforcements could be sent from
the east. Rome reports substantial gains;
Vienna, total defeat. In any event
Gorilla did not fall. The attacks present
|, ly ceased in consequence of appalling
losses, the Austrians claim. The Italian
explanation tends TO confirm that Of their
enemy. They aIlege that they have halted
to rest, consolidate positions gained and
bring up artillery.
But there is little reason TO doubt the
Austrian assertion that the effort TO force
the Gorilla position has been heavily
checked, and Italy has gone back TO trench
work. An odd detail of this campaign is
the fact that much of the Austrian posi-
ton is open to naval bombardment, but so
effective has the threat of the Austrian
submarine been that no naval help has
been sent to this corner Of the Adratic.
Summary.
Summarizing briefly it may be said that
the initial dash Of the Italians in the early
days OF June carried them to the first line
of the prepared works Of the Austrians.
Once these works were reached the Aus
tro-Italan warfare dropped TO the level OF
trench work, the struggle on the Venetian
marches became replica Of that in France
and Flanders.
Since June the Italians have pushed out
a number of offensives resembling Joffre's
"nibblings"; they have made local progress
and won incidental advantages. They hold
much Austrian territory, which they have
fortified against an Austro-German adj
vance but along the Isonzo they have
, failed to pierce the Austrian line, as the
French and British have failed in Artois.
About Trent their failure has been ex-
actly like that of the Germans about YER
dun, and the causes are the same, while
the geographical handicaps are vastly
greater. Long months before Italy came
into the war the Austrian General Staff
had employed the lesson Of the French
fighting to the Tyrolean salient and the
. Isonzo line.
Italian troops seem to have been hand
led with greater skill than in the Tripoli-
/, tan operations. They have endured heavy
losses without losing their morale, as they
, did in the Abyssinan campaign. But they
have not been able TO win any notable
success. In a word, they have failed to
drive the Austrians out of Trent and
Trieste. as the French and English have
failed to expel the Germans from Laon
and Lille Nor is it possible to see now
any immediate promise Of Italian sweep
ing advances about Gorilla or in the Adige
Valley. Italy is besieging the outworks OF
, Austrian military power south and west Of
the Alps. Her progress so far has been