2 of 6

Write now Article Tools

The First World War was a real nightmare for all the soldiers involved in it just because it was the first position war of the history during the largest part of the conflict, performed in stable front-lines with artillery emplacements, mined fields and, above all, long trenches lines carved in the ground, where soldiers had to fight and live (or, better, survive).

Trenches lines of the enemy armies run roughly parallel for hundred of Km and life was a real hell for soldiers and millions of them died along them.
They were carved in the ground, frequently obliging soldiers to always walk curved, for not being hit by bullets or splinters.

I'm Italian, I love History and I can write something about life in the trenches along the Italian-Austrian front, summarizing what I remember from the books I read and the documentaries watched on TV.
The front line, during the largest part of the war, passed along the Dolomites and the Eastern Alps, from Stelvio Pass until Triest Gulf and passing by the northern point of Garda Lake and along Isonzo Valley, between the Venetia-Julia and the present Slovenia, in that period, Austrian territory.

Most of trenches and fortresses were carved in high mountain, often in the ice or in the rock, frequently, at more than 3000 m of height and the poor soldiers were exposed to an extreme cold, down to -25 or -30C and to long snow tempests, also in summer.
So, one of the main enemies for soldiers of both armies was the cold and the risk of freezing for feet hands or until death, if dispersed or wounded during an attack.

The Austrian were normally better equipped for a war in the mountain and they often occupied more favourable positions along the mountains where the border passed.
Despite this, the Italian troops (that included many divisions of Alpine troops) were sent to perform many bloody and nearly useless frontal offensives against Austrian lines, successfully defended, in most of cases, by cannoons and machine-guns.
Only along the Isonzo River, the Italians launched up to 10 massive frontal attacks, starting from their thenches in the period 1915-17, but with modest territorial gains.

These frontal attacks were recurrent and, every time, hundreds of soldiers with their bayonets were systematically killed by Austrian machine-guns or mortars, just few metres after having jumped out from the trenches.
These bloody attacks were obstinately ordered by Italian general staff and, with the passing time, they caused more and more frequent opposition

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Life in the trenches during World War I?
We want to hear your view. Write now!