Battle of the Piave River

Overview

The Second Battle of the Piave River, fought between 15 and 23 June 1918, was a decisive victory for the Italian Army against the Austro-Hungarian Empire during World War I, as Italy was part of the Allied Forces, while Austria-Hungary was part of the Central Powers. Though the battle proved to be a decisive blow to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and by extension the Central Powers, its full significance was not initially appreciated in Italy. Yet Erich Ludendorff, on hearing the news, is reported to have said he 'had the sensation of defeat for the first time'. It would later become clear that the battle was in fact the beginning of the end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

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

Significance

The Second Battle of the Piave River, fought 15–23 June 1918, ended in a decisive Italian victory over Austria-Hungary and marked a turning point in the final phase of World War I on the Italian front. Despite the scale of the engagement — nearly one million troops on each side — its significance was not immediately recognized within Italy itself. The strategic consequences were nonetheless profound: Austria-Hungary suffered heavier casualties than Italy and failed to break through, a failure that fatally weakened the Central Powers' position. Erich Ludendorff reportedly said he 'had the sensation of defeat for the first time' upon hearing the outcome. The battle proved to be the beginning of the end for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, accelerating its military and political collapse in the months that followed.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (4)