Tatic, Danijel World War I: The Italian Front

This work gives a reasonable overview and description of the Isonzo Front, which has long lived in the national and family memory of the soldiers who fought there. The book shows that their fear of the Italians had a motivating effect on Croatian and Slovene soldiers. Unlike some other parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, they perceived the war as a struggle for protecting their homes, which ensured the stability and firmness of the Isonzo Front. Taking the historical perspective into consideration, it is undoubtedly true that the poor performance of the Italian army on the Isonzo and the resolute resistance of Field Marshal Svetozar Borojevic weakened the Italian bargaining position in Versailles in 1919. The author has written an appealing monograph on the Italian Front, using a wide range of sources, including periodicals published during the war. The photographs included in the book are especially valuable, as the author and the publisher have gathered new, previously unseen photographs and illustrations, making this study attractive not only to those who harbor an interest in the First World War and the military in general, but to the general public as well. These are primarily the photographs from the American National Archives and the forgotten WWI-era press.