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.

West of Rhein

August 12th 1914

General Joffre sent me to find the damned Brits. The German strike into Belgium had thrown them back and we lost communications with them. But I found them and there is good news; they have retreated in good order. The Germans did not follow; they must fear our 5th Army.

I confess, I do not understand his plan; the German 3rd Army was mauled by the 5th, yet he retreats them and leaves Sedan open for taking? I wonder if he is planning to entrap them... I do know he is under a lot of pressure from Paris to attack the Germans. Despite their pressure, he resists - our armies are not as ready as the Germans for this fight. But they will be.

The Russians haasv..

Stupid driver, he seems to play a game where he tries to hit every pothole on the way back. As I was saying, our Russian allies seem to have confidence. They claim to have caught the German 8th army in an open position. I don't know what to make of this; it sounds too good to be believed. Despite this, they plan to mass their forces against Austro-Hungarian forces. They have started a propaganda war, sowing dissension and distrust in the Austro-Hungarian ranks by emphasising the brotherhood of the Slavs and denouncing the Germanic oppression. I wonder how successful they will be...

In the mean time, xxx--- Damn that driver, told him to watch where he goes. I wonder if he fears a storm? Thunder has been following us for awhile now. All the weather forecasts I saw agreed we have few weeks of good weather, important if we are to attack.

In any case, w

Recovered diary of a French Staff Officer, name withheld. The diary has been found with the pieces of a staff car; a direct artillery hit seems to have cut the car in half.