Armistice : Part 2

On 18th June, 1918, the Austro-Hungarian empire launched an offensive to break the Italian defence and push them further. This time, with no Russian threat in the east and Serbian threat in the south; the Austro-Hungarian forces could concentrate on Italy with their full strength. The Austrians(or Hungarians) steamrolled the Italian forces across the venetian plains. The offensive ended at 8th July, 1918. It lasted for 20 days but in these 20 days, it crushed the entire Italian defence. The biggest blow to the Italians was losing Venice, Trine, Padua and Verona. On 13th July at 9 A.M., the Italian government declared Italy's surrender and called for an armistice.

The Austro-Hungarian government agreed to the call of an armistice and planned the treaty to be held in Vienna on 18th August, 1918 inside the main hall of the Habsburg palace.

18th August, 1918, Main hall, Habsburg Palace, Vienna : Representatives from Italy, Germany, Austria-Hungary and, Ottoman Empire met to discuss peace terms. The terms proposed by the Austrians was rejected by the Italians on the bais that it was insulting to the king and the royal family. So, the Germans then created new terms by removing some terms seemed insulting, and edited some of them. The new terms included :-

• Payment of 1 million marks by Italy to Austria-Hungary as reparations.

• Austrian annexation of Lombardy, South Tyrol and Venetia provinces.

• Austrian annexation of Trine.

• Independence of Italian Tripoltania.

• German annexation of Italian Somaliland and Djibouti.

• Decrease in the sizes of Italian navy, army and air force by 30% respectively.

With this treaty coming into effect, it ended Italian front of Weltkreig.