Austria-Hungary's Costly Defeats In World War I

Austria-Hungary's performance in World War I was generally poor, and they suffered heavy losses throughout the war. The empire's troops were pushed back by Russia, and all invasions against Russia failed. They also failed in their invasion of Serbia. On the Italian front, they were pushed back by Italy. Austria-Hungary's strategic vision for World War I was deeply flawed, and their generals were simply not on par with their opponents. The sum of it was a disastrous 1914/1915 that they never recovered from.

The Serbian Campaign

Following this initial defeat, Austria-Hungary regrouped and launched a second invasion in September 1914. At the Battle of the Drina, the Serbs pushed the 5th Army back into Bosnia, and on September 25, the remains of the Balkanstreitkräfte were forced to retreat to avoid encirclement. On October 24, Potiorek launched a third invasion, reaching deep into northern Serbia and capturing Belgrade, the Serbian capital, on December 2, 1914. However, the Serbian Army launched a successful counter-offensive at the Battle of Kolubara, expelling the Central Powers from their territory before the end of December, marking the conclusion of the campaign.

Battles of the Isonzo

The Battles of the Isonzo, also known as the Isonzo Front, were a series of twelve battles fought between the Austro-Hungarian and Italian armies in World War I. The battles took place mostly in present-day Slovenia, with some in Italy, along the Isonzo River on the eastern sector of the Italian Front. The river, which is around 60 miles long, runs north-south and is flanked by mountains on both sides.

The Italians, led by Chief of Staff Luigi Cadorna, believed that their best chance of advancing was on the coastal plain east of the lower end of the Isonzo. However, Cadorna also believed that they could strike further north and bypass the mountains on either side of the river, allowing them to attack the Austro-Hungarians from the rear. The Austro-Hungarians, meanwhile, had fortified the mountains ahead of Italy's entry into the war on 23 May 1915.

Cadorna knew that the river was prone to flooding, and that attacking further north would present a challenge: to safely cross the river, the Italians would first have to neutralise the Austro-Hungarian defenders positioned in the mountains above. However, to neutralise these defenders, the Italians would first need to cross the river—a problem they never overcame. The south, or coastal zone, presented its own geographic challenges, with ridges and valleys that worked to the advantage of the Austro-Hungarian defenders.

The Battles of the Isonzo were fought as follows:

• First Battle of the Isonzo: 23 June – 7 July 1915
• Second Battle of the Isonzo: 18 July – 3 August 1915
• Third Battle of the Isonzo: 18 October – 3 November 1915
• Fourth Battle of the Isonzo: 10 November – 2 December 1915
• Fifth Battle of the Isonzo: 9–17 March 1916
• Sixth Battle of the Isonzo: 6–17 August 1916
• Seventh Battle of the Isonzo: 14–17 September 1916
• Eighth Battle of the Isonzo: 10–12 October 1916
• Ninth Battle of the Isonzo: 1–4 November 1916
• Tenth Battle of the Isonzo: 12 May – 8 June 1917
• Eleventh Battle of the Isonzo: 19 August – 12 September 1917
• Twelfth Battle of the Isonzo: 24 October – 7 November 1917, also known as the Battle of Caporetto

The Battles of the Isonzo resulted in enormous casualties for both sides. Half of Italy's war deaths—around 300,000 out of 600,000—were suffered along the Isonzo. Austro-Hungarian losses were also high, with around 200,000 casualties (out of a total of around 1.2 million).

Battle of Vittorio Veneto

The Battle of Vittorio Veneto was the final offensive launched on the Italian Front during World War I, fought from 24 October to 3 November 1918. It was a decisive Italian victory, resulting in the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and contributing to the end of World War I just one week later.

Prelude to the Battle

The Italian Front, also known as the Alpine Front, was located along the border between Italy and Austria-Hungary. Italy wanted to gain control of sections of the region due to rising nationalism. The terrain was very mountainous, making fighting difficult.

In June 1918, the Austro-Hungarian Army launched a large offensive aimed at breaking through the Piave River defensive line and delivering a decisive blow to the Italian Army. However, they were unsuccessful and suffered heavy losses.

The Battle

The Italian victory at Vittorio Veneto was led by Italian commander-in-chief General Armando Diaz, who launched a major offensive across the Piave River and north towards Monte Grappa. The Italian armies in the mountains were tasked with holding the frontline and following up on the enemy's retreat. The Italian Fourth Army, led by Lieutenant-General Gaetano Giardino, was responsible for opening the attack and taking on the strongest positions.

The battle began on the morning of 24 October 1918 with intense artillery shelling from both sides. Between 24 and 31 October, Italy fired over 2.4 million shells. The Italian Army was able to dislodge the Austrians from their defensive positions in the mountains. The Austro-Hungarian troops were thoroughly defeated, and the Italian victory was secured when they captured over 5,000 artillery pieces and over 350,000 troops, including Germans, Czechs, Slovaks, South Slavs, Poles, Romanians, Ukrainians, and Italians.

Outcome

The Battle of Vittorio Veneto resulted in a decisive Italian victory and the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Austria-Hungary accepted its defeat in World War I, and an armistice was signed on 3 November 1918, ending the conflict between Italy and Austria-Hungary on the Italian Front. The war was over for Italy and Austria-Hungary, and so was the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

During the battle, Italy suffered over 37,000 casualties, while Austria-Hungary suffered approximately 30,000 killed and wounded and 300,000 prisoners. The Austro-Hungarian army was no longer a coherent fighting force, and the simultaneous political turmoil completed the disintegration of the Empire.

Battle of Galicia

The Battle of Galicia, also known as the Great Battle of Galicia or the Battle of Lemberg, was a major battle between Russia and Austria-Hungary during the early stages of World War I. The battle took place from August 23rd to September 11th, 1914, and is considered one of the most significant battles of World War I along the Eastern Front.

During the battle, the Austro-Hungarian First, Second, and Fourth Armies faced off against the Russian Third, Fourth, and Eighth Armies. The battle consisted of a series of smaller conflicts, including the Battle of Kraśnik, the Battle of Komarów, the Battle of Gnila Lipa, and the Battle of Rawa. The Austro-Hungarian armies were ultimately defeated and forced to retreat, resulting in a significant Russian victory.

The Austro-Hungarian forces faced several challenges during the battle. Confusion over priorities between the fronts in Galicia and Serbia led to delays in concentrating their forces against Russia. Additionally, the Austro-Hungarian Army lacked cohesion and modernized infrastructure, despite its large size. The infantry conscripts had basic training, and the artillery was insufficient. The Russians, on the other hand, had superior numbers and were able to bring in more troops and supplies.

The Battle of Galicia resulted in heavy losses for both sides. Austria-Hungary suffered approximately 450,000 casualties, including 100,000 deaths, while Russia is estimated to have lost upwards of 300,000 troops. The defeat at Galicia severely damaged the Austro-Hungarian Army, killing many of its trained officers and crippling the nation.

Following their victory, the Russians occupied Eastern Galicia for about nine months until they were defeated at Gorlice and Tarnów. The Battle of Galicia was a crucial battle in the Eastern Front of World War I, showcasing the challenges faced by the Austro-Hungarian forces and the determination of the Russian armies.

Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive

The Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive was a major military offensive carried out by the Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary against Russia. It took place from 2 May to 22 June 1915 along the eastern border of Austria-Hungary. The offensive was initially conceived as a minor German manoeuvre to relieve pressure on the Austro-Hungarians to their south on the Eastern Front. However, it resulted in the Central Powers' chief offensive effort of 1915, causing the total collapse of the Russian lines and their retreat far into Russia.

In the early months of the war on the Eastern Front, the German Eighth Army conducted a series of successful actions against the two Russian armies facing them. After surrounding and then destroying the Russian Second Army at the Battle of Tannenberg in late August, Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff turned their troops to face the Russian First Army at the First Battle of the Masurian Lakes, almost destroying them before they could retreat across the border.

At the same time, the Austro-Hungarian Army launched a series of attacks collectively known as the Battle of Galicia. While these attacks were initially successful, the Austro-Hungarians soon found themselves retreating to the Carpathian Mountains by late September. Over the following weeks, Russian troops continued to push forward into the Carpathian passes in southern Galicia. In fierce winter fighting, General Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf, the chief of staff of the Austro-Hungarian Army, attacked the Russians in an attempt to push them back. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, but the Russians managed to hold their line. By this time, half of the Austro-Hungarian Army that had entered the war had become casualties. Conrad pleaded for additional German reinforcements, but the Germans refused.

In April 1915, Conrad threatened to seek a separate peace if the Germans did not help. The German Chief of Staff, Erich von Falkenhayn, eventually agreed to a plan of operations, which included the creation of the Eleventh Army. The Eleventh Army would consist of the Guards Corps, the XLI Reserve Corps, the X Corps, and the Austro-Hungarian VI Corps. It would be led by the former commander of the German Ninth Army, General August von Mackensen, with Colonel Hans von Seeckt as chief of staff. They would be opposed by the Russian Third Army, under General D. R. Radko-Dmitriev.

On 1 May, the Central Powers' artillery opened harassing fire, with a sustained bombardment beginning the following morning. The huge mortar shells were particularly terrifying, with their blasts killing men tens of metres from the explosion. After the bombardment, Mackensen's infantry stormed forward to meet little resistance. Soon, waves of Russian infantry were stumbling rearward, casting away their weapons and abandoning their trenches.

Mackensen then ordered his troops to advance upon the River Wisłoka, the Russians' third and final line of defence. The Russians sent two divisions to stem the breakthrough, but they were utterly annihilated before they could even report back to headquarters. From the Russian point of view, both divisions simply disappeared from the map. On 3 May, the Grand Duke Nicholas provided three additional divisions and authorised a limited withdrawal. The Russian control of the Carpathians was becoming increasingly tenuous.

By 5 May, the attackers had reached all assigned objectives. The Grand Duke Nicholas permitted a limited withdrawal but rejected advice to construct a well-fortified position far behind the frontline. At this point, the Russian counterattacks grew increasingly desperate, with new recruits being thrown into battle, some armed only with grenades or wooden clubs.

On 6 May, Mackensen noted that "along the entire line from the Vistula far into the Carpathians, the enemy is retreating". By 11 May, his men had advanced 60 miles (97 km) in ten days. The Central Powers' next objective was to continue advancing east from a bridgehead at Magierów and recapture Lemberg, which would sever lines of communication between the Russian Northwest and Southwest Fronts.

The attack commenced on 13 June, and by 17 June, the Germans had pushed the front line back 18 miles (29 km) to positions near Gródek. The Russian armies reverted to a headlong retreat, and on 21 June, the Grand Duke Nicholas ordered the abandonment of Galicia. On 22 June, Mackensen's Austro-Hungarians entered Lemberg after an advance of 310 km (190 mi), an average rate of 5.8 km (3.6 mi) per day. The Galician oil fields, crucial for the German navy, were soon back in production, and 480,000 tons of badly-needed oil was captured.

The Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive resulted in the largest defeat inflicted on the troops of the Russian Empire during World War I. The operation, which lasted 70 days, involved 4.5 million men and resulted in more than 1.5 million casualties on both sides. The heavy casualties forced the Russian armies to retreat from Galicia in early June 1915, and the Russian Imperial army switched to a strategic defence for the first time.

The offensive was a major victory for the Central Powers, but it came at a high price. The arriving reserves (6.5 divisions) were fully utilised by the beginning of July. Although the Russian troops lacked artillery shells, they were well-equipped with rifle cartridges and retained an advantage in the number of machine guns. Skillfully directed fire from hand weapons was highly effective, and massive frontal assaults cost the victorious troops dearly.

The Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive and the subsequent offensive of the Northern armies in Galicia are regarded as the largest, if not the main, victory of the Central Powers in the Russian theatre of operations. The Russian armies were thrown back across the Bug, Zlota Lipa, and Dniester rivers,

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