Caporetto, Battle of

Caporetto, Battle of, engagement of World War I, fought between October and December 1917, that resulted in a disastrous defeat of the Italian army by the Austro-Hungarian and German armies. On October 24, German and Austrian troops launched a surprise attack on Italian positions near the Austrian town of Caporetto (now Kobarid, Slovenia). Within 24 hours, units of the Italian army, under the command of the general Conte Luigi Cadorna, collapsed along the entire Isonzo River front, precipitating a retreat that continued until November 12. During this period, the German and Austrian forces occupied Italy as far south as the Piave River, captured large quantities of armaments, and inflicted casualties totalling about 320,000 killed, wounded, and missing. British and French troops that had arrived early in November saved Italy from complete defeat. General Armando Diaz replaced Cadorna as Italian commander-in-chief.