GALICIA

Galicia is located in todays Poland. Originally called Malopolska, or Little Poland, the land was annexed by the Austrian Empire during the Partitions of Poland in 1772 and 1795. At that time, the Austrians created the name Galicia and applied it to these new areas. At the start of the First World War, Galicia remained part of the multi-ethnic Austro-Hungarian Empire and a focal point on the Eastern Front of the First World War. In August 1914, in accordance with the Allied plans, four Russian armies invaded the province and began a long and arduous conflict that would take many lives.

From almost the very beginning of the war (1914), tens of thousands of Italians of Austria, including inhabitants of the Trentino, Ampezzano, and the Adriatic provinces of the Hapsburg Empire were involved in the battle at and/or near Galicia. The vast majority of the Trentini draftees were shipped to Galicia by the Austrian military leadership. For them the war had arrived unexpectedly, forcing them to abandon family and property in order to fight in unknown lands under the auspices of an empirical leadership that neither accepted nor trusted their loyalty. While these soliers were not inebriated by overwhelming love of country, they accepted the conflict and their duty with resignation and an undeniable sense of duty that took its origin and strength from the traditional oath of allegiance. These Trentini soldiers served the Empire with a strong esprit de corps in hopes of a quick return to their homes.

June 1916

Russian Front - Following the Austrian offensive into Italy in May 1916 and an Italian appeal for aid, the Russians launched a premature offensive south of the Pripet Marshes aimed at Galicia in what turns out to be their last great action of the Russian Front - the Brusilov Offensive. It is led by Gen Alexei Brusilov with the Southwest Army Group of Eighth, Eleventh, Seventh and Ninth Armies (50 divisions) against four largely Austrian Armies (46 divisions including some German) on a 200 mile front down to the Rumanian border. A surprise attack is launched on the 4th near Dubno to the north and, further south, near the Dniester River. By next day, the flanking Austrian Fourth Army in the north and the Seventh Army in the south are close to collapse. By late June, both Austrian Armies have been routed and the Russians are approaching the passes through the Carpathian Mountains. German divisions are brought from other sectors of the Eastern Front as well as the Western Front (weakening the attack on Verdun) to stop the threatened breakthrough. Austrian divisions are also brought back from the Italian Front thus ending that drive. As the defenses stiffen, the Russians struggle ahead into July, August and through to September, but at heavy cost.

The next major offensive was undertaken by Russian General Alexi Brusilov. His preparations were far superior to those undertaken by previous senior officers, and for the first time during the war Russian units were trained to employ shock troops followed up by mutually supporting open order formations. Western Allied aid and Russian production had also replaced all of the equipment losses from the previous year, although the competing egos of fellow commanders and the still inefficient supply system placed a dead hand on any spectacular successes. By June of 1916, Brusilov's four armies, the Eighth, Eleventh, Seventh and Ninth, were poised along the Galician border facing the Austrian Army. On the 4th the Russians attacked and immediately penetrated deep into Austrian positions, capturing 13,000 prisoners on the first day. By the time the offensive was two months old, the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire was in danger of falling. Romania then entered the war on the side of the allies, but greedily invaded Transylvania instead of preparing an adequate defense. This mistake gave the Germans the opening they needed, and the ensuing counter-offensive achieved the total collapse of Romania to the Central Powers. Germany and Austria gained control of vast coal and wheat fields, although they also added over 200 miles of front to their lines.