ing the summer of 1917 the second Italian army was confronted by
Austrian regiments composed largely of war-weary Socialists. During that
summer skilful German propagandists operating from Spain had sown the
seeds of pacificism throughout Italy. This was made easy by the distress
then existing particularly in the villages where food was scanty and
complaints against the conduct of the war were numerous. The propaganda
extended from the civilian population to the army, and its channel was
directed mainly toward the second army encamped along the Isonzo River.

As a consequence of the pacifists' preachments both by word of mouth and
document, the second army was ready for the friendly approaches that
came from the front lines of the Austrians only a few hundred yards
away. Daily communication was established and at night the opposing
soldiers fraternized generally. The Russian doctrine that an end of the
fighting would come if the soldiers agreed to do no more shooting,
spread throughout the Italian trenches.

This was all part of a plan carefully mapped out by the German High
Command. When the infection had spread, the fraternizing Austrian troops
were withdrawn from the front trenches and German shock troops took
their places.

On October 24th these troops attacked in force. The Italians in the
front line, mistaking them for the friendly Austrians, waved a greeting.
German machine guns and rifles replied with a deadly fire, and the great
flanking movement commenced. So well had the Germans played their game
the Italians lost more than 250,000 prisoners and 2,300 guns in the
first week. The attack began in the Julian Alps and continued along the
Isonzo southwestward into the plain of Venice. The Italian positions at
Tolmino and Plezzo were captured and the whole Italian force was
compelled to retreat along a seventy-mile front from the Carnic Alps to
the sea. The most important point gained by the enemy in its early
assault was the village of Caporetto on the Upper Isonzo where General
Cadorna held a great series of dams which could have drained the Isonzo
River dry within twelve hours.

[Illustration: Map]
AREA OF THE FLOW AND EBB OF ITALY'S MILITARY SUCCESS FROM THE CARSO
PLATEAU TO THE PIAVE LINE.

The Italian retreat at places degenerated into a rout and it was not
until the Italians, reinforced by French and British, reached the Piave
River, that a stand was finally made. The defeat cost Cadorna his
co