Where:
Isonzo River, Italian Front
Summary:
Between 1915 and 1917, Austria-Hungary and Italy fought twelve battles along the Isonzo River, also known as the So?a River in Slovenia.
These battles were fought in modern-day Slovenia and Italy.
The Isonzo River ran parallel to the Italian border with Austria-Hungary. The natural highland gave the Austro-Hungarians a natural advantage. General Luigi Cadorna, the Italian commander, and his troops made five unsuccessful attempts to cross the Isonzo and scale the mountainous banks in their campaign against the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
These early battles of the Isonzo yielded very little success and proved costly to Italy. The Sixth Battle of the Isonzo was launched by General Cadorna on August 6, 1916, and seemed to award the Italians a breakthrough in Gorizia. With this victory, the Italian troops were successful in crossing the Isonzo and finding a foothold in Austria-Hungary.
The victory of Gorizia allowed the Italians to launch intense attacks, and the next four battles of the Isonzo saw fewer losses for the Italian camp. The Italians, however, were unable to capitalize on the victory of the sixth battle and did not succeed in gaining much territory. The Eleventh Battle of the Isonzo was dramatically different from the previous Italian operations. The Austro-Hungarian troops were pushed back. The Twelfth Battle of the Isonzo, also known as the Battle of Caporetto was a joint operation of Austria-Hungary and Germany. The Central troops launched a surprise offensive and swept across enemy lines. By October 10, the Italians had conceded defeat and retreated to the Piave River. The Battles of the Isonzo cost Italy over 300,000 casualties.
| Battles | Dates |
|---|---|
| First Battle of Isonzo | June 23 – July 7, 1915 |
| Second Battle of Isonzo | July 18 – August 3, 1915 |
| Third Battle of Isonzo | October 18 – November 3, 1915 |
| Fourth Battle of Isonzo | November 10 – December 2, 1915 |
| Fifth Battle of Isonzo | March 9 – March 17, 1916 |
| Sixth Battle of Isonzo | August 6 – August 17, 1916 |
| Seventh Battle of Isonzo | September 14 – September 17, 1916 |
| Eighth Battle of Isonzo | October 10 – October 12, 1916 |
| Ninth Battle of Isonzo | November 1 – November 4, 1916 |
| Tenth Battle of Isonzo | May 12 – June 8, 1917 |
| Eleventh Battle of Isonzo | August 19 – September 12, 1917 |
| Twelfth Battle of Isonzo | October 24 – November 12, 1917 |
Major Battles of World War I |
| Battles of Isonzo | Battles of Isonzo |
| Battle of Tannenberg – 1914 | Battles of Isonzo |
| Battle of Heligoland Bight – 1914 | Second Battle of Aisne – 1917 |
| First Battle of Marne – 1914 | Second Battle of Arras – 1917 |
| First Battle of the Masurian Lakes – 1914 | Battle of Messines – 1917 |
| First Battle of Aisne – 1914 | Battles of Isonzo |
| First Battle of Albert – 1914 | Battle of Caporetto – 1917 |
| First Battle of Arras – 1914 | Battle of Cambrai – 1917 |
| First Battle of Ypres – 1914 | German Spring Offensive – 1918 |
| Gallipoli Campaign – 1915 | Hundred Days Offensive – 1918 |
| Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes – 1915 | Battles of Isonzo |
| Battles of Isonzo – 1915 | Second Battle of Somme – 1918 |
| Loos-Artois Offensive – 1915 | Second Battle of Marne – 1918 |
| Battles of Isonzo | Battles of Isonzo |
| Battles of Isonzo | Battle of Cambrai – 1917 |
| First Battle of Somme – 1916 | Battles of Isonzo |