war and the future-第8章
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thrusting rather eastwardly towards the line of the Julian Alps
through Carinthia and Carniola。 From my observation post in the
tree near Monfalcone I saw Trieste away along the coast to my
right。 It looked scarcely as distant as Folkestone from
Dungeness。 The Italian advanced line is indeed scarcely ten
miles from Trieste。 But the Italians are not； I think； going to
Trieste just yet。 That is not the real game now。 They are
playing loyally with the Allies for the complete defeat of the
Central Powers； and that is to be achieved striking home into
Austria。 Meanwhile there is no sense in knocking Trieste to
pieces； or using Italians instead of Austrian soldiers to
garrison it。
II。 THE MOUNTAIN WAR
1
The mountain warfare of Italy is extraordinarily unlike that upon
any other front。 From the Isonzo to the Swiss frontier we are
dealing with high mountains； cut by deep valleys between which
there is usually no practicable lateral communication。 Each
advance must have the nature of an unsupported shove along a
narrow channel； until the whole mountain system； that is； is won；
and the attack can begin to deploy in front of the passes。
Geographically Austria has the advantage。 She had the gentler
slope of the mountain chains while Italy has the steep side； and
the foresight of old treaties has given her deep bites into what
is naturally Italian territory； she is far nearer the Italian
plain than Italy is near any practicable fighting ground for
large forces； particularly is this the case in the region of the
Adige valley and Lake Garda。
The legitimate war； so to speak； in this region is a
mountaineering war。 The typical position is roughly as follows。
The Austrians occupy valley A which opens northward； the Italians
occupy valley B which opens southward。 The fight is for the
crest between A and B。 The side that wins that crest gains the
power of looking down into； firing into and outflanking the
positions of the enemy valley。 In most cases it is the Italians
now who are pressing； and if the reader will examine a map of the
front and compare it with the official reports he will soon
realise that almost everywhere the Italians are up to the head of
the southward valleys and working over the crests so as to press
down upon the Austrian valleys。 But in the Trentino the
Austrians are still well over the crest on the southward slopes。
When I was in Italy they still held Roverto。
Now it cannot be said that under modern conditions mountains
favour either the offensive or the defensive。 But they certainly
make operations far more deliberate than upon a level。 An
engineered road or railway in an Alpine valley is the most
vulnerable of things； its curves and viaducts may be practically
demolished by shell fire or swept by shrapnel； although you hold
the entire valley except for one vantage point。 All the
mountains round about a valley must be won before that valley is
safe for the transport of an advance。 But on the other hand a
surprise capture of some single mountain crest and the hoisting
of one gun into position there may block the retreat of guns and
material from a great series of positions。 Mountain surfaces are
extraordinarily various and subtle。 You may understand Picardy
on a map； but mountain warfare is three…dimensional。 A struggle
may go on for weeks or months consisting of apparently separate
and incidental skirmishes； and then suddenly a whole valley
organisation may crumble away in retreat or disaster。 Italy is
gnawing into the Trentino day by day； and particularly around by
her right wing。 At no time I shall be surprised to see a sudden
lunge forward on that front； and hear a tale of guns and
prisoners。 This will not mean that she has made a sudden attack；
but that some system of Austrian positions has collapsed under
her continual pressure。
Such briefly is the /idea/ of mountain struggle。 Its
realities； I should imagine； are among the strangest and most
picturesque in all this tremendous world conflict。 I know
nothing of the war in the east； of course； but there are things
here that must be hard to beat。 Happily they will soon get
justice done to them by an abler pen than mine。 I hear that
Kipling is to follow me upon this ground； nothing can be imagined
more congenial to his extraordinary power of vivid rendering than
this struggle against cliffs； avalanches； frost and the
Austrian。
To go the Italian round needs； among other things； a good head。
Everywhere it has been necessary to make roads where hitherto
there have been only mule tracks or no tracks at all； the roads
are often still in the making； and the automobile of the war
tourist skirts precipices and takes hairpin bends upon tracks of
loose metal not an inch too broad for the operation； or it floats
for a moment over the dizzy edge while a train of mule transport
blunders by。 The unruly imagination of man's heart （which is
〃only evil continually〃） speculates upon what would be the
consequences of one good bump from the wheel of a mule cart。
Down below； the trees that one sees through a wisp of cloud look
far too small and spiky and scattered to hold out much hope for a
fallen man of letters。 And at the high positions they are too
used to the vertical life to understand the secret feelings of
the visitor from the horizontal。 General Bompinani； whose
writings are well known to all English students of military
matters； showed me the Gibraltar he is making of a great mountain
system east of the Adige。
〃Let me show you；〃 he said； and flung himself on to the edge of
the precipice into exactly the position of a lady riding side…
saddle。 〃You will find it more comfortable to sit down。〃
But anxious as I am abroad not to discredit my country by
unseemly exhibitions I felt unequal to such gymnastics without a
proper rehearsal at a lower level。 I seated myself carefully at
a yard （perhaps it was a couple of yards） from the edge； advanced
on my trousers without dignity to the verge； and so with an
effort thrust my legs over to dangle in the crystalline
air。
〃That；〃 proceeded General Bompiani； pointing with a giddy
flourish of his riding whip； 〃is Monte Tomba。〃
I swayed and half…extended my hand towards him。 But he was still
theresitting； so to speak； on the half of himself。。。。 I was
astonished that he did not disappear abruptly during his
exposition。。。。
2
The fighting man in the Dolomites has been perhaps the most
wonderful of all these separate campaigns。 I went up by
automobile as far as the clambering new road goes up the flanks
of Tofana No。 2； thence for a time by mule along the flank of
Tofana No。 1； and thence on foot to the vestiges of the famous
Castelletto。
The aspect of these mountains is particularly grim and wicked；
they are worn old mountains； they tower overhead in enormous
vertical cliffs of sallow grey； with the square jointings and
occasional clefts and gullies； their summits are toothed and
jagged； the path ascends and passes round the side of the
mountain upon loose screes； which descend steeply to a lower wall
of precipices。 In the distance rise other harsh and desolate…
looking mountain masses； with shining occasional scars of old
snow。 Far below is a bleak valley of stunted pine trees through
which passes the road of the Dolomites。
As I ascended the upper track two bandages men were coming down
on led mules。 It was mid…August； and they were suffering from
frostbite。 Across the great gap between the summits a minute
traveller with some provisions was going up by wire to some post
upon the crest。 For everywhere upon the icy pinnacles are
observation posts directing the fire of the big guns on the
slopes below； or machine…gun stations； or little garrisons that
sit and wait through the bleak days。 Often they have no link
with the world below but a precipitous climb or a 〃teleferic〃
wire。 Snow and frost may cut them off absolutely for weeks from
the rest of mankind。 The sick and wounded must begin their
journey down to help and comfort in a giddy basket that swings
down to the head of the mule track below。
Originally all these crests were in Austrian hands
