onditions in Austria and Germany had greatly changed. The cessation of
war by Russia relieved the Central Powers of the necessity of keeping
large armies on the eastern front. Further, the campaign had been going
against Germany on the western front, and an easy victory in Italy might
quiet criticism at home.

An immense army of Austrians and Germans was gathered together to attack
the Italian forces. The Italians were spread out in a semicircle about
one hundred and fifty miles long stretching from near Trent to within a
few miles of Trieste. The Austrians controlled the upper passes in the
mountains, so that they could attack this long line where they would.
Thus the Italian military position was difficult to defend. The campaign
began with a surprise attack by picked German troops at a point where
the morale of one Italian division had previously been weakened by the
pretended fraternizing of Austrian troops.

The Austro-German drive (October-December, 1917) swiftly undid the work
of two years of most arduous endeavor. The Italians were forced back
from Gorizia and compelled to surrender mountain positions which had
been captured by them at enormous cost. Back across the boundary they
retreated, losing heavily in men and material. The enemy advanced into
the low country near Venice, and it seemed for a time that the city
would fall into their hands. But British and French assistance was sent
to Italy, the Italian army recovered its spirit, and a permanent check
was put to the enemy's advance before Venice was reached. Upon a much
shorter but more defensible line the Italians held the enemy at bay in
the mountains and along the river Piave (pyah'v[=a]).

[Illustration: WAR ZONES]

UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE.--On January 31, 1917, the German
ambassador to the United States, Count von Bernstorff, announced to
President Wilson that Germany would begin unrestricted submarine warfare
the following day, in the waters around Great Britain and France,[4]
thus withdrawing the pledge given as a result of the sinking of the
"Sussex." Three days later the President handed Count von Bernstorff his
passports and recalled Ambassador Gerard' from Berlin, thus severing
diplomatic relations with Germany.

During the next six months shipping was sunk at an average rate of
600,000 tons per month, three times as fast as before, and two or three
times faster than it was being replaced. The highwater mark was reached
in April, when