The White War: Life and Death on the Italian Front 1915-1919
Language: English
20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 Europe Europe - Italy European history First World War First World War; 1914-1918 General History History - Military Italy Italy - History Military Military - World War I Military History War War & defence operations World War I
Publisher: Basic Books
Published: Sep 15, 2010
Description:
EDITORIAL REVIEW: In May 1915, Italy declared war on the Habsburg Empire. Nearly 750,000 Italian troops were killed in savage, hopeless fighting on the stony hills north of Trieste and in the snows of the Dolomites. To maintain discipline, General Luigi Cadorna restored the Roman practice of decimation, executing random members of units that retreated or rebelled. With elegance and pathos, historian Mark Thompson relates the saga of the Italian front, the nationalist frenzy and political intrigues that preceded the conflict, and the towering personalities of the statesmen, generals, and writers drawn into the heart of the chaos. A work of epic scale, *The White War* does full justice to the brutal and heart-wrenching war that inspired Hemingway’s *A Farewell to Arms*.