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Post by cplcampisi on Dec 12, 2011 18:21:38 GMT -8
Came across this website with a lot of wartime Austro-Hungarian postcards. At the bottom of the website, is an image of tirol volunteers, wearing civilian clothes and military caps, with brassards on their arms. I knew of such practice, but it's the first time I've seen it depicted. barryobomber.com/21.html |
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Post by oskar2ndchev on Dec 12, 2011 19:46:12 GMT -8
There's some cool pictures there.  |
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Post by Larry Dunn on Dec 13, 2011 9:16:38 GMT -8
Came across this website with a lot of wartime Austro-Hungarian postcards. At the bottom of the website, is an image of tirol volunteers, wearing civilian clothes and military caps, with brassards on their arms. I knew of such practice, but it's the first time I've seen it depicted. barryobomber.com/21.htmlYes, when the Italians abrogated their alliance commitments and sold themselves to the Entente ("sacro egoismo"), virtually the entire the majority of the Austro-Hungarian army was already engaged on the Eastern Front and the Balkans, leaving the defense of certain sectors of the Tirol to the old men and young boys of the Standschützen, who heroically held the line until reinforcements were available. -Larry |
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Post by cplcampisi on Dec 13, 2011 14:26:52 GMT -8
Let's not exaggerate, Larry. :-) Conrad never trusted the Italians to stay out of the war, and had put the border units on alert in August 1914! Nevertheless, in mid-May of 1915 they only had two divisions on the Isonzo front (about 25,000 rifles). However, they were in the process of building up, so by May 24 there were 50,000-70,000 Austrians on the Isonzo -- they knew war with Italy was coming. That's not the narrative that the Kaiser gave the people, and he was able to use the Italian invasion to boost the sagging morale of the Austria-Hungarian Empire. Certainly the forces on the Italian front were weak, but they had time to prepare (excellent defensive terrain too), and they weren't "virtually" all elsewhere when the invasion began. A rapid build up of forces, combined with poor intelligence (the Italians overestimated the number of Austrian forces greatly), allowed the Austrians to complete their defensive lines shortly after war with Italy began.
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Post by Larry Dunn on Dec 13, 2011 14:58:12 GMT -8
Tony--why clutter up a great story with facts? See my edits above. -Larry |
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Post by cplcampisi on Dec 13, 2011 23:54:27 GMT -8
Tony--why clutter up a great story with facts? See my edits above. -Larry Lol! :-) |
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Post by oskar2ndchev on Dec 14, 2011 6:54:06 GMT -8
Still fighting over the Trentino? :-)
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