LANU & WATER 
November 22, 1917 
The Italian Front 
By Hilaire Belloc 
Calling up of the (jerma n Class 1920 
IIl'ORK tourhiri}; upon the Uvd main episodes on 
whirli all t'vcs are directoti tiiis week- -the resistance 
rapid 
B. -.-. -. 
\ipon tlie Italian lipe of the Fiave and the raj 
retirement of the Turks in Palestine, 1 would like to 
J) Jint out a little piece of ne\\s which appeared this week 
in our press without headlines and therefore passed almost 
without comment. 
It was far the most important piece of news which we have 
Tiad since the summer. It was official, and its full meaning 
is thoroughly understood by those who sent it out. . . The 
Ciermans have called up ("lass 1020. 
It is possible that in this the fourth year of the war, tht full 
meaning of that sentence may be missed. Here, then, in 
the briefest possible ijpace is the meaning of this fundamental 
piece of news. 
(^) The French have not yet called up any of class 1918. 
(2) Germany called up 1918 exactly this time last year, and 
the fighting — viainlv the fighting in I-landers — has eaten up 
not only igi.S, but already so large a part of 1919 that she is 
now compelled to call up 1920. 
(.5) Class 1920 means the lads who are not yet eighteen. 
The oldest of them will only be eighteen on the ist of January 
and the youngest of them is not seventeen. 
(4) The German Km])ire has for the first time since the war 
began been compelled to call up three classes in exactly one 
twelvemonth. ^^'hen she called up 1918 a year ago she was 
two years ahead of the normal. She is now four years ahead. 
I will leave it at that. 
***** 
In order to understand what has occurred in Italy during 
last week, let us first summarise the news and then refer it to 
the map w^ith a commentary which will show what the geo- 
graphical situation of the Italian defence has been. 
Upon the night of Sunday, November iith-iath, that is 
ten days ago, enemy pressure developed against the Italian 
left wing on the Asiago Plateau. .Ho attacked the Monte 
l.onbara position and the lines to thc^rigjit and the left of that 
])osition consistently, but was still held. TheAlpihi wliose 
bureau of recruitment is A'erona were the chief elements of 
resistance here. The attacks continued during the whole of 
Monday, but did not progress. Meanwhile, upon that same 
day, at the other extreme of the line, on the right near the 
Adriatic, forces apparently wholly Austrian put over a strong 
barrage at dawn, cutting off the bend of the River Piave at 
Zenson, throwing pontoons across, and there establishing a 
bridgehead. This was the first crossing of the Piave efiected 
by the enemy. Upon Tuesday there was little movement upon 
the Piave, but in the night of that day the Monte Lombara was 
lost. In the afternoon of the same day the enemy was attack- 
ing south of Gallio to force the lines on the I'onte Sisemol. 
Before the end of Tuesday four new: attempts were made by 
the enemy to cross the Piave at Ouero, Fenere, St. Dona and 
Intestadura, while certain Hungarian troops advanced through 
the marshes of the Lower Pia\e up to the old branch cjf the 
river to the west. 
On Wednesday, the 14th, the Italian front on the all- 
important Asiago sector was still holding .strongly from Monte 
Sisemol to the peak of Castelgomberto. It was remarked 
that the enemy was bringing \\\) larger numbers in this district 
than before. To the right in the Brenta Vallev Cismon was 
still held. But the Monte Tomatico was lost. ' 
On Thursday, the 15th, the Asiago thrust became more 
serious, but it was apparently contained by the Italians save 
in the Brenta valley itself, where the enemy entered Cismon. 
The Piave line during the day remained unchanged ; the bridge- 
head established by the enemy on the Zenson loop was still 
fairly established ; the crossing lower down by the Hun- 
garians on the marshes had not advanced and had still the 
appearance of a mere feint. 
On Friday, the i6th,came the second serious attack upon 
the Piave in the following form : At dawn the enemy forced 
a passage of the river. He crossed at two points,' FoliiTa 
