The Italian Escapades

From the diary of British Naval Attache, Italian Embassy, Summer 1915

I've come from yet another meeting with our Italian friends. We had to promise a great deal to bring them into this war, in hopes opening yet another front will be the death of Austria-Hungary.

But Italians are worthless! They promised us 4 great armies to strike at the mountain fortresses, yet they were poorly equipped and still understrength when they made their Declaration of War! Damn them to the deepest pits of Hell for lying to us! We should've pushed our luck in the sands of Egypt, not throw our lot behind the worthless Italians.

And damn the French too! I've just heard some idiotic general boasted to his mistress about the Italians. She must've worked for Germans, because Hotzendorf was ready, waiting like a hawk. As soon as the declaration was presented in Vienna, Borojevic was upon the Italians. They were broken within days! At least we managed to convince them to pull back, even if it meant losing Venice. Finally they stood and counterattacked the advancing Austro-Hungarians, halting their advance. Still, their position is precarious. Already we are sending ammo and supplies that could be used elsewhere, yet I fear we will need to send our troops as well.

Yet W.C. back home has persuaded them to go for the throat of the Ottomans. A landing at Gallipolli? Pointless adventure! That cannot get anywhere, and yet he wastes our troops with the Bosche holding so much Belgium and France. At least the French stoically hold and will not give an inch.

The Russians are an enigma, as always. They regularly put out offensives, striking at the Austrians viciously, but they've been asking us to help with supplies if possible. They pushed the Hungarians back into the Carpathians, but then the urgent German help stabilised the lines long enough to dig in and resist all further attacks from the bear. There has also been some rumours of internal problems; the Tzar has claimed more armies are to be fielded, yet they do not come. I do hope soon they will put them in field; the AH threat there is growing by the week.

Now I must go; the Italian king has another ball organised; what waste. But he claims it helps the morale - I really do hope he knows what he is doing.