The Italian Army of World War I

David Nicolle

nov 2012 · Bloomsbury Publishing

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The dilemma of the young Italian kingdom and the experience of her army in the Great War were unique among the combatant nations. Late to enter the war against the Central Powers, she faced a massively defended Austro-Hungarian front in the north, including strong mountain features, as well as distractions in the Balkans and a simultaneous rebellion in her Libyan colony. Costly and repeated battles on the Isonzo front culminated in the disaster of Caporetto in October 1917, followed by a remarkable revival and eventual victory in 1918. This concise study describes and illustrates the Italian Army's campaigns, organisation, uniforms, weapons and equipment – including the famous 'death companies' and Arditi assault troops.

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Dr David Nicolle was born in 1944. He worked in the BBC Arabic service before going 'back to school', gaining an MA from the School of Oriental and African Studies and a PhD from Edinburgh University. He later taught World and Islamic art and architectural history at Yarmuk University, Jordan. He has been a prolific author of Osprey titles for many years.

Raffaele Ruggeri lives and works in Bologna, Italy. He has a particular personal interest in the armies and forces of the Ottoman Empire, and has illustrated several titles for Osprey on this subject.