Re: Subject: Fighting qualities of Italians

John Atkinson wrote:

> >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.

As opposed to, eg., the British who ordered their soldiers to cross 
no-man's-land at a slow walk, fully upright?

> >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?

I'm referring to all of Haig's battles. Somme was merely the biggest of
the 
slaughters :-(

> >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.

Hm... yes, you're right. Nothing wrong with the grunts, though their 
commander (Cadorna) is another matter entirely. (Attempting to charge 
across a river when the enemy controls the mountains on the far bank is 
never a good idea, but to do it when you lack even half-decent artillery

support...!)

Later,

Oerjan
oerjan.ohlson@telia.com

"Life is like a sewer.
  What you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."