Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-11-10
SECOND PAVE BATTLE
PURE ITALIAN TRIUMPH
Nations Hopes Realized-Review of Austrian
Policy Since Napoleon-Necessity of
Removing Cause of Future Friction.

bition to liberate the Italians remain-
ing in Austrian chains. an explosion
Of that emotion which was in the
hearts of a young Italy rising to
lions for their nation. swept the Ger.
man intrigue out of the Italian PENN.
sula.
It was a gigantic referendum. q
plebiscite, nationwide, which brought
Italy into the war. She came at q
critical moment. Already the battle
of the Dunajec had opened that ter
rible cycle of Russian disasters which
were to lead to the fall of the Ro-
manoffs and the extinction of Russia
as a nation. Despite the high hopes
Of the allies. founded on an imper-
feet realization Of essential facts.
Italy was not able to take the road
to Vienna in her first campaign. She
flung her troops against the fixed po-
Sitions OF the AuStrians, prepared in
the full light Of the lessons of the
contemporary war Of positions, and
they failed to break through.
Italyis Narrow Escape.
In 1915 Italy had to undergo a blow
almost as heavy and quite as danger
GUS as that borne by the French at
verd9n. An Austrian drive toward
the venetian plain from Trent came
within an ace of success-was halted
within sight OF the plain. Afterward
italy took the offensive and captured
Gor1zia, but again her offensive was
checked; she lacked the material:
her allies were committed to their
own Campaigns, were still lacking
IN the resources needed to expel the
Germans from France. Despite its
DriiIiant opening. Italy's effort in 1916
enueo IN no great progress.
IT was worse last year, when Italy,
after magnificent effort and colossal
sacrifice, had amounted the Biansizza
plateau; was blasting a passage to-
ward Laibach. Then Germany came
70 the aid OF Austria using the troops
freed by Russian collapse. and exactly
year ago the disaster of Caporetto
marked the beginning of a series of
German victories which led them al
the present year. At the time Capo-
retto seemed an inexplicable disaster.
1t was due mainly to the collapse of
the home front. The Italian people
were temporarily yielding under the
victory still postponed. They felt
themselves neglected, abandoned by
their greater allies. Every sort of
poison worked to the disarray OF an
Italian army which. at the moment
Of victory, seemed suddenly to melt
away in supreme disaster.
New German Method Effective.
w Aoohih6 pdChWdEu al SapOICltos
1t seems less inexplicabie in the light
OF latter military events. The tactics
employed there were successful few
months later against the British and
brought about the wreck of Coughs
9Th British Army. They were success
/, later at the Chemin des Danes and
produced the most complete. French
defeat OF the whole war. 1t was no:
until the opening phase of the second
Marine that Gouraud's defense broke
this new German method.
After Caporetto- Italy suddenly raj
lied at the Piave, aided by British
and French armies. The moment Of
supreme peril passed. The Italian
army was reorganized and the home
front restored. Italy entered the cam
paign of 1918 united. and in this CAM
paign she contributed the first shin
ing triumph. Her victory at the Piave
in June was the first in the long
series, which has not yet ended, but
has brought about the surrender of
Turkey, Bulgaria and Austria. The
second Piave was the foundation of
assured him that Austria as an Of
fensive force~was out of the war.
Yet, even in victory Italy was still
too weak to push an offensive. She
was outnumbered and outgunned, she
was outmunitioned and before the
ments her armies were still immobil-
lied. From June to late October Italy
held seventy Austrian divisions on her
front, but this was the extent Of her
possible contribution. aside from the
successful cooperation of her troops
with those of her allies in the Bal
kans. But in holding these seventy
divisions she deprived Germany of the
essential reinforcement needed in the
west in the critical days of the Luden-
dorm offensive in July and Of his de-
fensive thereafter.
Italy Finally Breaks Barrier.
Finally. in late October, on the
Caporetto anniversary. Italy again
steps out; northward she breaks the
mountain barrier between the Brenta
and the Piave, the threat to her flank
and rear is abolished, and then her
armies begin to cross the Piave at the
north. from Montello. which was the
Gibraltar of defense in the first bat
tie of the Piave. The northern flank
makes good its crossing and pushes
east along the foothills of the Alps:
| the Austrian troops southwark along
the river are threatened. The order
: to retreat is given, but Austrian arm
les can no longer retreat Then comes
swift disaster, an Austrian Jena, and
thereafter surrender in the field,
marching in time with collapse at
home. Austria is finished in a cam
paign Of fortnight. time and details
wholly repeating the Bulgarian cpl
sode.
We have. then, on the first Sunday
in November the announcement that
shortlived NapoIeonic kingdom Of
Italy fell, more than a century ago.
this city has been in alien hands.
And what is even better. the Breener
pathway, by which for fifteen cen
turtles northern barbarians have made
their periodic inroads into Italy, 10
once more ruled from Rome. The
Lago di Garda has became an Italian
lake. A little more than half q cen~
fury ago Garibaldi looked down upon
Trent from the hills. then to be
taken for the attacking. but Bis
marck denied 1t to Italy. Now the
people Of the city. passionately Itsl-
ian in all their sympathies, are libe-
rated. Trieste is similarly occupied
by Italian troops. Italian Irredenta 10
unredeemed no longer.
Going backward for a moment: to
launched his Serbs against the Bull
gars about Dobropoljie. We can count
a little less than seven weeks. and IN
this time We have seen the miracle
accomplished Serb troops entered
Belgrade on the day Italian troops
occupied Trent and Trieste. Serbia
and Italy were assured Of freedom
from an invader at the very same
hour The occupation Of CONSTANT
nople is a matter OF moments. The
affairs of Serbia. Turkey and or
Italy are liquidated.
Austria, Past and Future.
What shall one say of Austria?
About the future nothing can be satd
let z,F><v Aho,yf the mast IL In.