Editing History of Tyrol (section)

== World War I ==
[[File:Tirol-Südtirol-Trentino with extraprovincial comuni.png|thumb|200px|The former Tyrol today
{{legend|#fe7f7f|[[File:AUT Tirol COA.svg|15px|Coat of arms of Tyrol]] [[States of Austria|State]] of [[Tyrol (state)|Tyrol]] ([[File:Flag of Austria.svg|15px|border|Flag of Austria]] [[Austria]])}}
{{legend|#f7b77b|[[File:Suedtirol CoA.svg|15px|Coat of arms of South Tyrol]] [[Provinces of Italy|Province]] of [[South Tyrol]] ([[File:Flag of Italy.svg|15px|border|Flag of Italy]] [[Italy]])}}
{{legend|#7b7bf7|[[File:Trentino CoA.svg|15px|Coat of arms of Trentino]] Province of [[Trentino]] ([[File:Flag of Italy.svg|15px|border|Flag of Italy]] Italy)}}
{{legend|#73e673|Parts of the former county now within other Italian provinces}}
]]

On the eve of World War I, the southern part of the Austrian crown land of Tyrol was populated mainly by Italian speakers (the so-called ''Welschtirol'', or [[Trentino]]). Its border coincided with the present-day border between [[South Tyrol]] and Trentino, crossing the [[Adige]] valley at [[Salorno]] (''Chiusa di Salorno/Salurner Klause'').<ref name="Alcock 1996, p. 67">Alcock 1996, p. 67.</ref> The existence of areas largely populated by Italian-speaking populations under the rule of the [[Austrian Empire]] was a constant cause of friction between Austria and Italy, a national state set on the unification of all Italians. Being part of the [[Triple Alliance (1882)|Triple Alliance]] with Germany and Austria was "an embarrassment, if not a contradiction" for Italy.<ref name="Alcock 1996, p. 67"/> Italy's fear that it would not get what it wanted in the event of a victorious Triple Alliance caused it to remain neutral during the first year of the war, and the preoccupation that it wouldn't get what it wanted from a victorious [[Allies of World War I|Entente]] either if it remained neutral led it to join the war on the side of the latter.<ref name="Alcock 1996, p. 67"/> Italy conducted intense negotiations with Austria, which was prepared to part with Trentino in exchange of Italy's neutrality, but Italy wanted (among other things) to reach the Alpine [[Drainage divide|water divide]], which it claimed as its 'natural border', a demand which Austria refused, since it would have meant giving up a territory regarded as personal fief by the Habsburg Emperors. On 26 April 1915, Italy signed the [[Treaty of London (1915)|Treaty of London]], agreeing to declare war against the [[Central Powers]] in exchange for the [[Italian irredentism|unredeemed]] territories of Trentino, [[Gorizia]], [[Trieste]] and [[Dalmatia]], as well as the part of German Tyrol south of the main Alpine divide.<ref>Alcock 1996, p. 68.</ref> Apart from these territorial gains the alliance change enabled Italy to realise its aspiration: Italian military dominance in the Mediterranean.<ref>Rusconi 2005, p. 127-128.</ref> The ideals of irredentism were used to convince the population of the necessity of the war, but the true motive of the political leadership to join the war was their idea that Italy should become a great European power.<ref>Rusconi 2005, p. 184-185.</ref>

War against the Austro-Hungarian Empire was declared May 24, 1915. This put Tyrol on the front line, which passed through some of the highest mountains in the [[Alps]]. The ensuing front became known as the "War in ice and snow", as troops occupied the highest mountains and glaciers all year long. {{convert|120|m|ft|abbr=off|spell=In}} of snow were common during the winter of 1915–16, and tens of thousands of soldiers disappeared in [[avalanche]]s. The remains of these soldiers are still being uncovered today. The Italian [[Alpini]], their Austrian counterparts (''[[Gebirgsjäger|Kaiserjäger]]'', ''[[Standschützen]]'' and ''[[Landesschützen]]''), and the German [[Alpenkorps (German Empire)|Alpenkorps]] occupied every hill and mountain top. They began carving extensive fortifications and military quarters, even drilling tunnels inside the mountains and deep into glaciers, like at [[Marmolada]]. Hundreds of troops would drag guns over mountains up to {{convert|3,890|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Streets, cable cars, mountain railways and walkways through the steepest of walls were built. The first to occupy higher ground became almost impossible to dislodge, so both sides turned to drilling tunnels under mountain peaks, filling them up with explosives, then detonating the entire mountain, including its defenders, such as [[Col di Lana]], Monte Pasubio, Lagazuoi, etc. Climbing and skiing became essential skills for the troops of both sides and soon Ski Battalions and Special Climbing units were formed.

On May 15, 1916, the Austrian army [[Battle of Asiago|staged an attack from the Trentino]], unaided by the German army, whose command had advised against such a move. Several divisions were withdrawn from the Russian front to achieve necessary troop strength. The offensive was of limited tactical success. Austrians penetrated twelve miles into Italian territory, inflicting heavy casualties on the Italians, but fell short of their strategic and political goals.<ref>Rothenberg 1977, p. 79-80.</ref> This inconclusive attack weakened the eastern front, which enabled the Russian Army to overrun Austrian positions in Galicia and threaten the heart of the Habsburg Empire<ref>Rothenberg 1977, p. 80.</ref>

=== The armistice ===
After the [[Battle of Asiago]] in 1916, which ended in a stalemate and brought only minor territorial gains to Austria, the Tyrolean frontline remained largely static. The main battles were fought elsewhere. This changed in October, 1918, with Austro-Hungarian defeat in the [[Battle of Vittorio Veneto]], the Imperial army collapsed and started to withdraw and, on 29 October, the Austro-Hungarians asked for an armistice. On 30 October 1918, the Austro-Hungarian army was split in two. The [[Armistice of Villa Giusti|armistice]] was signed at 3.20 p.m., November 3, to become effective 24 hours later, at 3.00 p.m., November 4.
Following the signing of the armistice, Austrian [[Viktor Weber Edler von Webenau|General Weber]] informed his Italian counterparts that the Imperial army had already laid down its weapons, due to a previous order and requested combat and Italian advancement to cease. The Italian General [[Pietro Badoglio]] sharply rejected the proposal, and threatened to stop all negotiations and continue the war. General Weber repeated the request, with no results.<ref>Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito, "L'esercito italiano nella Grande Guerra", Ufficio Storico, vol. 5, Tomo 1,2, 2bis, Roma, 1988</ref> Even before the order to cease hostilities, the Imperial Army had already started to collapse, ceasing to exist as a combat force.<ref>Fritz Weber, "''Das Ende der alten Armee. Österreich-Ungarns Zusammenbruch'', {{ISBN|3-901185-09-7}}: Split in two the Imperial army collapsed, starting a chaotic retiring, since October, 28.</ref> Italian troops continued their advance until 3.00 p.m. on November 4. The occupation of all Tyrol, including [[Innsbruck]], was completed in the days that followed.<ref>{{cite book |last= Low |first= Alfred D. |title= The Anschluss Movement, 1918–1919, and the Paris Peace Conference. |publisher= [[American Philosophical Society]] |year= 1974 |page= 296 |isbn= 0-87169-103-5}}</ref>

Under the terms of the Austrian-Italian Armistice of Villa Giusti, as well as being required to evacuate all territory occupied since August, Austria-Hungary's forces were required to withdraw from South Tyrol, [[Tarvisio]], the [[Soča|Isonzo valley]], [[Gorizia]], [[Trieste]], [[Istria]], western [[Carniola]], and [[Dalmatia]]. Terms mandated German forces expulsion from Austria-Hungary within 15 days or their internment, and the Allies were to have free use of Austria-Hungary's internal communications. They were also obliged to allow Entente armies' transit, to reach Germany from the South.<ref name="book01">{{cite book |last= Cervone |first= Pier Paolo |title= Vittorio Veneto l'ultima battaglia |publisher= Ugo Mursia Editore |year= 1994 |isbn= 88-425-1775-5}}</ref>

The Italian General Rodolfo Graziani's 11th Italian army continued to advance, supported on the right by the 9th army. The result was that Austria-Hungary lost about 30,000 casualties and between 300,000 and 500,000 prisoners (50,000 by 31 October, 100,000 by 1 November and 428,000 by 4 November). Italian losses numbered about 38,000, including 145 French and 374 Britons.<ref name="book01"/>

It appears that the large quantity of prisoners stemmed from the Austrian command decision that captivity in Italy was preferable to starvation at home.<ref>Rothenberg 1976, p. 218.</ref> After the armistice, hundreds of thousands of Austrian soldiers without weapons, food and discipline made their way home through the alpine valleys. The alpine villages were caught between the retreating, half-starved soldiers who repeatedly resorted to theft and robbery to survive, and the advancing Italian army. At the same time, great numbers of Italian war prisoners were making their way south towards their homeland. Austria did not have the means to guarantee the orderly retreat of its own army or the organized return of Italian war prisoners.<ref name="Pasquali 2007, p. 113">Pasquali 2007, p. 113.</ref> In the meantime, Italian occupation of Tyrol was going as planned. On 11 November, Italian troops occupied the Brenner Pass and the Pass at [[Toblach]]. To secure access to the [[Inn (river)|Inn]] valley, crucial for an advance into southern Germany, [[Innsbruck]], capital of Tyrol, and the village [[Landeck]] were occupied as well. On 10 January 1919, the commander of the 3rd army corps, Gen. Ugo Sani, was appointed military governor of northern Tyrol with residence in Innsbruck.<ref name="Pasquali 2007, p. 113"/>