Piave, Battles of the

Series of battles in World War I between Austrian and Italian troops. After the battle of Caporetto in October 1917 the Italian army retreated to a defensive line on the Piave, a river in northern Italy, rising in the Carnic Alps and flowing 200 km/125 mi to the Adriatic about 32 km/20 mi north of Venice.

The first battle of the Piave took place when the Austrians attacked the Italian line in November 1917; the Italians managed to hold their line and repel the attackers.

The front then remained quiet until the second battle in June 1918. The Austrians crossed the river under cover of smoke and gas and managed to establish a bridgehead, but were thrown back by an Italian counterattack on 2 July. They managed to pierce the Italian line near the sea and advanced about a mile but were again driven back. The battle was brought to an end when the river flooded.

In the third battle on 23 October 1918 (also called the battle of Vittorio Veneto) the Italians, together with British troops, massed on the river and attacked the Austrians. Three Italian armies crossed the river and within two days the Austrians were in general retreat, pursued by the Italians, until the Austrians called for an Armistice on 4 November 1918.