Evening star., 1918-06-30
To Italy Goes the Credit.

To Italy Goes the Credit.
Much was said of the work OF Brit
ish contingents and something of the
service of French units. But II may be
doubted IL more than one British divl-
sion was present. and there was no
great French force involved. The bat
tie of the Piave was in the main an
Italian triumph and to the Italians be-
long the great credit. In less than a
year Italy had remade her army, ana
with the army the civilians behind the
line had been reorganized. All things
considered. the blow was far heavier
than that which produced the Capor-
etto disaster. Seventy-one divisions
were used. and these divisions were
the pick of the Austrian army. which
had been reconstructed for this effort.
OF these divisions a good many seem
to have been put out of action for the
ness of the fighting indicates high
losses and losses which in the case OF
the assailant must have been far
greater than for the Italians. More
over. the Austrian retreat must have
cost the Hapsburg army a vast store
of material in addition to guns. which
had been moved across the river while
the advance was unchecked and be-
fore the rains In the mountains caused
the river to cave its banks.
Cause Of Transformation.
There remains the great question of
what explains the Transformation OF
the Italian army in period much
shorter than a year. Many elements
must be involved in the answer. First
of all, 1t is well TO remember that
only one Italian army was RESPONSE
BILE for the Caporetto disaster. and
that was an army made up of second
tor where no serious operation was
expected.
At the moment of Caporetto the
mass of the Italian army had crossed
the Isonzo and on the Bainsizza
plateau was making a magnificent
the tenacity of the italian troops
fighting on the lower Isonzo last year
remain a splendid page in Italian
military history.
On the other hand, inferior troops
on a quiet sector were unquestion-
ably undermined by enemy propa-
ganda and did desert a post of dan
ger under an attack which was not
in the least comparable with the
present attack, although in view OF
the German successes in France this
year there must be a tendency to re-
wise views as to the efficacy of the
German attack at Caporetto.
In any event, the rally of the main
italian forces was prompt. r great
disaster was avoided. and Italy stood
at the Piave last year even before
she was effectively aided by allied
arms. The consequences of the de-
feat were Immediately shown In
revival of italian determination.
We may say that the sight of half
Of Venetia occupied by the enemy.
the knowledge of what Italian wom-
en- and children were suffering. or
what italian towns were enduring In
the invaded districts. served to rouss
the Italians as dreams Of conquest
along the Dalmatian coast or on the
road to Vienna did not and could not.
However Italy may have been d.
vided over the question of an often
size war for grandiose objectives.
she was united in determination to
preserve her unity, won at so great
sacrifices in the previous century.
vader in venetia served to consoli-
date the nation and reanimate the
soldier.
Contrast With Russia
It is interesting to perceive the cor
trast between the Italian and the
Russian events. Defeats in Russia
led to the destruction of nation lit
tie permeated with any national SEN
timent and still collection OF races
common ideals and a common unity.
The battle of the Piave is great
event in the military history OF the
world war II is an enormous contrt-
button to the common cause at
critical hour and in a critical cam
paign. Its effect politically must be
beyond its military effect. Its moral
effect can hardly be exaggerated. But b,
It is worth while recalling also that
1t is likely to he an enduring incl
dent in the history of the Italian peo-
pie.
Italy has won her Verdun on the
Piave. 1t is hardly less important to
the allied cause than that French
along the Meuse which held
The line until Britain could arrive.
On the military side it is too soon to
forecast the consequences OF the VIC
tory.
What is clear, 1t would seem. is that
he power of Austria for offensive
operations this year without German
aid Is broken. and that any German
aid sent to the Italian front must