Trentino Operation of 1916

an offensive during World War I by the Austro-Hungarian Eleventh and Third armies, comprising 18 divisions, 400,000 men, and 2,000 guns, against the Italian First Army, comprising 18 divisions, about 250,000 men, and 623 guns. The operation took place in the area of Trentino from May 15 to 30. The Austro-Hungarian command planned to break through the left flank of the Italian Front between Lake Garda and the Brenta River. Then, after advancing on Vicenza and onward toward the Po River, it hoped to cut off the Italian forces in the area of the Isonzo River.

On May 15, after intensive artillery preparation, Austro-Hungarian troops attacked on the 60-km front between the Adige and Brenta rivers, striking on the south and southeast. By May 30, the Austro-Hungarian troops, pursuing the defeated Italian units, had occupied Arsiero and Asiago and halted the offensive until heavy artillery could be brought up. The Russian offensive on the Southwestern Front, which began on June 4, forced the Austro-Hungarian command to break off the offensive and transfer its troops to Galicia.

In the Trentino Operation the Italian First Army suffered casualties of 15,000 killed and 76,000 wounded; 56,000 men were taken prisoner, and 294 guns were lost. On the Austro-Hungarian side, 10,000 were killed, 45,000 wounded, and 26,000 taken prisoner.