Book Review - The White War: Life and Death on the Italian Front, 1915-1919 -Author: Mark Thompson
A picture hangs in the living room at my parent’s house of four guys standing in uniform. The guy on the right is my great grandfather who fought for the Italians on the Austrian Front.?I must confess, as most people do, when I think of #WWI my mind automatically gravitates toward Brusilov, Verdun, Gallipoli, and Somme. If you Google WWI battles the first page of websites only speaks to British and American battles with maybe one mention of Brusilov on the Russian Front. ?One must type in “WWI battles Austrian Front” to start getting hits. A shameful showing by mostly British stewarded WWI historical sites.
I was lucky enough to know my great-grandfather. He passed away when I was 10. We never spoke about his time in the Italian army. He moved from Italy to America after World War One when the #Fascista were gaining in popularity. His brother stayed but my great-grandfather came to America and joined the US army. ?
When a friend saw the picture, they asked me if I knew his history and I said immediately I don't have any knowledge of his time other than there was a medic on the Austrian front during WWI. My friend brought in this book about the Austrian front. This is my review of the book and I hope to follow up with an article on my great-grandfather when I can figure out exactly where he was and what he did during the war.
Review:
"The White War: Life and Death on the #Italian Front, 1915-1919" by Mark Thompson is an enthralling, deeply researched account of the Italian Front during World War I. This frequently overlooked aspect of the Great War receives thorough treatment at Thompson's hand, and he succeeds in bringing it vividly to life.
Thompson’s primary strength lies in his ability to weave together intricate military strategies and personal anecdotes of soldiers, generals, and politicians. He doesn't just recount the key battles and maneuvers; he provides context, diving into the social and political conditions that led Italy into the war, the nationalism that fueled the war efforts, and the immense toll it took on the country and its people.
The book's focus is on the extensive and largely futile fighting in the Alps, where Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces faced each other in some of the harshest conditions imaginable. Thompson vividly describes the appalling conditions faced by the soldiers: endless snow, bone-chilling temperatures, and the constant threat of avalanches.
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The strategic mistakes made by Italian military leaders, especially Luigi Cadorna, are meticulously examined. Thompson does not shy away from critique, exposing the reader to the strategic blunders and ruthless tactics that led to catastrophic Italian losses. It is these missteps, Thompson argues, that ultimately led to the widespread disillusionment with the war and the social and political unrest that followed.
What separates "The White War" from other military histories is Thompson’s attention to the broader societal impacts of the war. He pays close attention to the cultural and political upheavals that the war precipitated, including the rise of Fascism under Benito Mussolini.
Thompson's writing style is accessible and engaging, with enough detail to satisfy historians while not overwhelming the casual reader. He has the ability to paint a vivid picture of the events, making the reader feel like they are witnessing the horrifying conditions and monumental battles firsthand.
One potential criticism could be the lack of maps which would help the readers to better understand the geography and tactics of the Italian Front. Nevertheless, this is a minor shortcoming in an otherwise well-executed book.
This is a must-read for anyone interested in World War I or military history in general. Mark Thompson's meticulous research, compelling narrative, and poignant analysis of the devastating human costs make this a standout work on a tragically neglected front of the Great War. It serves as a powerful reminder of the futility and destructiveness of war, and the lasting scars it leaves on a nation and its people.