New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-27
The Italian Offensive

Italian offensive winch Coinnn0''"
tion--the military and the political. we
have Just passed the second anniversary
Of Italy's entrance into the war, and II is
worth recalling that in these two years the
whole Italian situation has materially
changed and that the larger changes have
been due to Russian failure.
When Italy decided TO enter the war In
May, 1915, the world as yet knew little OF
the extent of the Russian disaster at the
punajec. In fact, the decision Of Italy to
enter was made before the Battle OF the
punajec, while the Allied prospects were
still at point higher than they have ever
reached since in the battle situation.
The political aspect of Italy's problem
has been steadily growing graver during
the two years. The immediate detectives OF
Italy, entering the war, were Trieste and
the Trentino, while on the larger side ltal-
ian statesmen clearly foresaw that the
triumph Of the Central Powers would mean
the destruction of the balance Of power in
Europe and would ultimately lead to Italy
becoming a vassal of Germany. In entering
the war Italy hoped TO complete the work
of Garibaldi and Cavour by the redemp-
ton of Trieste and the Trentino. For
these aims she enlisted the support of
England, France and Russia at once. She
had also territorial ambitions in the Ad-
ratio, which included the Dalnatian coast
and islands, suzerainty in Albania, the
possession of the Twelve Islands in the
Egean and the creation Of an Italian
sphere in Asia Minor about Smyrna. At
the end of two years Italy has realized
very little of all her various hopes. She
has annexed the Twelve Islands; she has
conquered minor fraction of the country
between her old frontier and Trieste; but
Austria still holds the greater part of the
Trentino and Trieste. 1t is no longer pos
sible for Italy to count upon the collapse
of Austria incident % continued Russian
victories. 1t is no longer possible for
Italians to hope to carry out any of their
larger ambitions by virtue of the general
success of the Allied arms and without a
complete utilization of Italy's man-power
and resources.
For no nation in Europe has the col
lapse of Russia been as dangerous as for
Italy. 1t may ultimately bring new
Trentine invasion. 1t might conceivably
lead to peace by negotiation in Europe.
And since Italy has not yet conquered
what she set out to attain, her claim would
have little weight while Austrian and Ger
man armies were unconquered.
1t is safe to say, then, that Italy enters
the third year of the war and begins her
third campaign with far more sombre as
poets than in previous years. Her army
is far better equipped. She is provided
with heavy artillery that was lacking be-
fore. She has even the cooperation of the
British, who have sent heavy guns TO her
front. But she must contemplate the pos
sibility Of having at no distant date to
face the entire military power Of Austria,
which will be turned against her if Russia
makes q separate peace, and she already
has before her many divisions released
BY tho truce that obtains on the Eastern
front. It is with this situation confront
ing her that Italy has undertaken her new
campaign. Her military problem is simple
70 state, il difficult TO solve. On thirty
mile front, between the lower slopes of the
Julian Alps and the head of the Adriatic,
she has to force a narrow gateway de-
Tended BY many Austrian divisions in ad-
mirabls positions, supported by adequate
artillery. There is nothing complicated in
italian strategy, as there can be nothing.
IN one way or another she must batter her
pathway through this gate until she pos
sesses the line Of Trieste and reaches a
wider field in which to extend her troops.
An advance Of ten OF fifteen miles would
place her In tho rear and on the communi-
cations Of Trieste, and its fall would be
inevitable. But an advance of ten or if
teen miles would be an advance two or
three times as great as she has yet been
able 10 make and an advance over country
ssr more difficult than any the Allies have