Battle of San Matteo

Overview

The Battle of San Matteo took place in the late summer of 1918 on the Punta San Matteo during World War I. It was regarded as the highest battle in history until it was surpassed in 1999 by the Kargil Conflict at 5,600 m.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of San Matteo, fought at Punta San Matteo during the late summer of 1918, held a distinction beyond its operational context: it was regarded as the highest-altitude battle in recorded history until the Kargil Conflict of 1999 displaced that record at 5,600 meters. Its place in the broader Italian front of World War I is one of the extreme-terrain engagements that characterized mountain warfare in the Alps, where control of high ground carried both tactical and symbolic weight. The Italian force of approximately 307 men faced an Austro-Hungarian force of roughly 150 under their respective commanders, though the outcome of the engagement is not recorded in available sources.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)