Isonzo front

Austria-Hungary had been fighting with Italy in Isonzo since June 1915, and ended in October 1916. The result is Austria-Hungary victory.

The Allied Powers wished to start a new frontier, and they chose Italy. However, due to the massive bombard by Austria-Hungarian key weapon, Zeppelin airship, Italian offensive and defense was broken easily in later wars.

  Austria-Hungary Empire
  Svetozar Boroević
  5th Army
 700,000

## Early Battles

Italian Army and Austria-Hungarian Army battled against each other for a few times before, but both couldn't break another's defense.

### Austria-Hungary Offensive

After getting Ottoman support in Balkan, they increased the amount of army in Isonzo. However due to the river and trenches, they couldn't break Italian defense.

### Italian counter attack

Italy, seeing the failure of Austria-Hungary attack, decided to attack them. However, after long fight, they couldn't capture the tactical hill. They then retreated back to the river.

### Austria-Hungary final preparation

Austria-Hungary, after seeing the power of Zeppelin airship, decided to buy some from Germany. They bought 10 Zeppelin airships for bombarding.

## Final Battle

5 October, 1916, Austria-Hungarian Field Marshall sent out a command: Take Isonzo down in a month. Austria-Hungarian Army decided to trick the Italian to attack them, so they pretended to retreat. They divided their 5th Army into 51st Division and 52nd Division.

### Italian Offensive, 5 October ~ 7 October

Italian 2nd Army, seeing the disappeaerd Austria-Hungary flag, sent out a soldier to check their camps. They were empty. Italian 2nd Army immediately pass through the river, and captured their camp. Without waiting for their heavy artillery, they started the offensive again in 6 October. In 7 October morning, the light-equipped Italian armies finally chased up Austria-Hungarian army. A battle started, however the ill-prepared and light-equipped Italian was not a match of the Austria-Hungarian since they had never thought they would fight back. Many Italian were killed in the battle, while others retreated.

### Austria-Hungarian Surprise Attack, 7 October

After knowing Italian 2nd Army had started battling with Austria-Hungarian 51st Division, 52nd Division immediately passed through the river and surprise attacked the garrisons, Italian 3rd army, who thought Austria-Hungarian Army had gone. They were forced to retreat to the river.

### Elimination of Italian 2nd and 3rd Army, 9 October

The Italian Armies, without ship, couldn't gather around and fight together. They had no place to retreat except jumping into the river, and of course they wouldn't unless the last second.

#### Battle at river ralley, 9 a.m.

Austria-Hungarian Army launched an offensive towards the retreating Italian, forcing them to get closer to the river. Zeppelin airships kept bombarding the Italians and created chaos.

#### Crossing th river, 12 a.m.

The depth of the river seemed like dropped. The Italians decided to form up and broke the surrounding. They started passing the river, however, slowly. It was a great chance for the Austria-Hungarian to create a huge loss to the Italians. It was a masscre, not war...

Suddenly, water came down waves by waves and flushed many Italians away to death. It was Austria-Hungarian, who blocked the water before. They destoryed the simple dam when the Italians started passing the river. When the Italians swam back, they were killed by the Austria-Hungarians who were waiting for them.

#### Elimination, 5 p.m

*--German commander*

The Italians knew they needed to win the battle in order to survive, so they fought fiercely unlike before. A German commander, spectating the war, said, "I've never believed that sheeps can really fight like tigers." Austria-Hungarian offensive was once stopped, however, knowing that the Italians were a must to lose the battle, they started attacking in 3.30p.m., eventually accepted the surrendering of the Italians in 5 p.m..

## Result

Austro-Hungarian army pushed in Italy, capturing Venice and set up a puppet state Venice Republic.