Asiago Plateau, Battles of

In World War I, series of battles between Austrian and Italian forces from November 1917-November 1918 in the mountainous country north of the Venetian plain between the Adige and Piave rivers. The Allies eventually broke the Austrian line in October 1918 and forced an armistice in November 1918.

The Austrians initially captured the town of Asiago on 10 November 1917, forcing the Italians back onto a defensive line which was in turn captured in December 1917. The Italians made a minor attack and regained some ground in January 1918, after which there was a quiet period until a major Austrian attack in June including an artillery gas bombardment. French and British reinforcements helped the Italians launch a counterattack in June 1918 which inflicted severe losses on the Austrians, causing riots in Austria and a serious attempt at a general strike in Hungary. It also allowed General Foch to use his reserves on the Western Front which he had hitherto held back in case of setbacks on the Italian front. A final Allied attack in October 1918 broke the Austrian line and led to a general retreat, ending in a local armistice in 4 November 1918.