Re: Subject: Fighting qualities of Italians

--- Oerjan Ohlson <oerjan.ohlson@telia.com> wrote:

> Um, John? You know, I was quite unaware that Germany
> conquered all those 
> countries during World War ONE - which is the war
> you're discussing here.

People keep switching wars on me.
 
> Similarly your description of French tactics seem
> rather more appropriate 
> to WW*2* than to WW*1*. If any army squandered

Ah, yes.  WWI French tactics were merely stupid (esp
in 1914).  If anything they suffered from an excess of
"elan" and a lack of common sense.  By 1916 most of
their formations were burnt out and pretty much
worthless for offensive action.

> resources needlessly during 
> the Great War, it was the Brits - a certain Mr. Haig
> in particular.

You wouldn't be referring to the Somme, would you?
 
> However, I don't think the Italian performance
> during WW1 was particularly 
> impressive - IIRC they got rather soundly beaten by
> the Austrians, who were 
> themselves not too successful during that war.

Hrm. . . they did hold their own pretty well until
about 1917, IIRC.  And that was when the Germans
started committing troops to support their Austrian
allies, and both the Austrians and Germans started
shifting troops out of the East.  Remember, a certain
Erwin R. made his original reputation (Pour le Merit)
in command of an Alpine unit fighting the Italians,
and he wasn't the only German on that front either.

The Austrians were no Germans, but then again their
opponents were Serbs, Russian, and Italians so they
didn't have to be.

John

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