In May 1915, Italy declared war on the Habsburg Empire. Nearly 750,000 Italian troops were killed in savage, hopeless fighting on the stony hills north of Trieste and in the snows of the Dolomites. To maintain discipline, General Luigi Cadorna restored the Roman practice of decimation, executing random members of units that retreated or rebelled. With elegance and pathos, historian Mark Thompson relates the saga of the Italian front, the nationalist frenzy and political intrigues that preceded the conflict, and the towering personalities of the statesmen, generals, and writers drawn into the heart of the chaos. A work of epic scale, The White War does full justice to the brutal and heart-wrenching war that inspired Hemingways A Farewell to Arms.
| ISBN | 0465013295 | | Pages | 480 | | ISBN13 | 9780465013296
(What's this?) | | Volumes | 1 | | Publisher | The Perseus Books Group | | Weight (grammes) | 726 | | Imprint | Basic Books | | Published in | New York | | Format | Hardback | | Height (mm) | 236 | | Publication date | 24 Feb 2009 | | Width (mm) | 156 | | Library of Congress | DG569.5 | | Spine width (mm) | 36 | | DEWEY | 940.4145 | | Academic level | General | | DEWEY edition | DC22 | |
|
|
|
| | | List of Illustrations | | |
| | | List of Maps | | |
| Introduction | | 'Italians! Go back!' | | 1 |
| 1 | | A Mania for Expansion | | 7 |
| 2 | | 'We Two Alone' | | 18 |
| 3 | | Free Spirits | | 39 |
| 4 | | Cadorna's Clenched Fist | | 52 |
| 5 | | The Solemn Hour Strikes | | 61 |
| 6 | | A Gift from Heaven | | 76 |
| 7 | | Walls of Iron, Clouds of Fire | | 87 |
| 8 | | Trento and Trieste! | | 95 |
| 9 | | From Position to Attrition | | 106 |
| 10 | | The Dreaming Barbarian | | 114 |
| 11 | | Walking Shapes of Mud | | 124 |
| 12 | | Year Zero | | 136 |
| 13 | | A Necessary Holocaust? | | 148 |
| 14 | | The Return Blow | | 159 |
| 15 | | Victory's Peak | | 169 |
| 16 | | Starlight from Violence | | 178 |
| 17 | | Whiteness | | 193 |
| 18 | | Forging Victory | | 207 |
| 19 | | Not Dying for the Fatherland | | 217 |
| 20 | | The Gospel of Energy | | 226 |
| 21 | | Into a Cauldron | | 240 |
| 22 | | Mystical Sadism | | 261 |
| 23 | | Another Second of Life | | 277 |
| 24 | | The Traitor of Carzano | | 284 |
| 25 | | Caporetto: The Flashing Sword of Vengeance | | 294 |
| 26 | | Resurrection | | 328 |
| | More... | | |
"The Weekly Standard" "[A] study as pioneering as it is brilliant.... Drawing on an impressive array of British, Italian, and Austrian sources, including fascinating interviews with survivors, Thompson re-creates the Italo-Austrian conflict in all its facets.... The White War is the work of a bright young historian proving his mettle."
"Dallas Morning News" "Thompson's book is a comprehensive work following the causes, culture and combat of Italy's war against Austria-Hungary and Germany.... It's worthwhile reading and remembering, particularly when trying to comprehend what price victory."
Robert Fox, "Evening Standard" "Brilliant ... It is the first general history of the serial incompetence and brutality of the war in north-eastern Italy between 1915 and 1918, which makes it exceptional enough. In its elegant sweep of cultural and political as well as martial themes, it stands alone: it is one of the outstanding history books of the year."
Christopher Duggan, "
Be the first to write a customer review
Enlarge
