The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1917-19??, 1918-07-06
DIAZ-THE MAN OF THE HOUR
BY R. e. Renaud

| Though the whole world is ringing
with the name of Genreal Armando
Diaz creator of the. greatest victory
his people have celebrated since they
were knit together in a modern ma
tion, he is one of the least known
men in Italy. Too short time in SUI
preme command of the army to have
gathered about him the tradition of
annecdote woven around most sue
cessful generals, his own reticence
and modesty have kept him somewhat
out of the public eye
Yet his personal characteristics are
clearly illustrated in the battle which
has just been fought. More than any
thing else it seemed to be the almost
instant reaction of the Italians, their
extraordinary promptness to attack
from defensive positions, which dis
organized the Austrian invasion, piled
it up like a railroad wreck in the
mountains and left it stranded on the
banks of the Piaye at Montello This
certain suddnness" is General Diaz
to "T'', Moreover the readiness of
the Italians was abvisously not i'm
provised. 1t was built upon careful,
scientific preparation against any
,eventuality. That also is the way
General Diaz works-secretly and
thoroughly.
In last years disaster at Caporetto,
which cost Italy nearly all the gains
she had won in the war and much of
her own territory, it was said to have
been central Italian troops and large
ly Neapolitans who succumbed to
enemy propaganda and broke before
the German attack. Yet General Diaz
is a Neapolitan born under the shad-
ow of Vesuyius forty-six years ago. II
Naples felt special concern for the
catastrophe at Caporetto she also has
sause for special rejoicing over the
victory on the Piava.
OF Spanish Extraction
General Diaz comes of a noble fam
lily. AS the name suggests it is of
Spanish origin and the Italian branch
doubtless dates from one of the fire.
quent Spanish inyasions of centuries
ago when Italy was the battlefield for
the world
Like Generals Foch and Petain,
General Diaz began his career as an
artillery officer. He was educated at
the famous Military Academy of Tur-
in and was graduated as a second Lieu
tenant of artillery, in which branch
of the service he remained until he
was made Captain. But there is in
Italy still higher education for army
officers known as the School of War
for which sixty pupils are selected
every year from the entire army. Cen
eral Diaz was one of these sixty and
year after year was among the few
chosen to serve on the General Staff.
He remained with the General Staff
practically throughout his career ex-I
cept when, re-establishing contact
with the troops, he served as COM
of battalion of infantry and
later OF regiment. On the General
Staff he was for long time head OF
the Personnel Office. 1t was there
that he called into play much of the
tact and impartiality which are still
two of his distinguishing traits,
Won Ren0Wn in Libran
During the Libyan Campaign he
served in the field as Colonel of the
93d Regiment of infantry. 1t was the
first Battle of Zanzur June Sth, 1922
that he proved his quality as com
mander of sharp decision. The main
Italian positions had been assailed by
the Fanatical Arabs in six successive
waves and the troops were in immin
ent danger of giving way. 1t was then
that Colonel Diaz, posted on the left
with his regiment delivered an inn
pctuous bayonet charge upon the right
flank OF the enemy, throwing him in
to confusion and carrying the day for
the Italians. Colonel Diaz was almost
present at the second battle of zan-
eur. 1t was these two great actions,
the most important of the Libyan war
that decided the issue and after the
second victory peace was signed by
Turkey within month.
AT the beginning of the present war