At the start of August Luigi Cadorna prepared a new offensive on the Isonzo which, in terms of numbers, should have been the strongest offensive ever seen. Feeling confident that there would be no attacks in Trentino by the soldiers of Charles I, the general moved twelve divisions on the Isonzo and patiently awaited Italian industry to supply a sufficient amount of ammunition that would be required by the 3,750 cannons and the 1,900 mortars that were concentrated on one point: the Bainsizza plateau.
This was a new development: never before now had an Italian attack been envisaged in only one section of the frontline. Previous experience suggested that it would be better to give up momentarily the line Trstelj-Mount Ermada that was well defended by the Austro-Hungarians and concentrate the whole offensive between Gorizia and Tolmino to catch the army of Borojevic unprepared.
Along the whole Italian front at that time there were more than half a million soldiers ready for the attack. In the first days of August there was a very heavy bombardment between the plateau and Mount Armada with bombs thrown even by floating batteries that had been prepared at Punta Sdobba (at the mouth of the Isonzo) while aviation was also used intensively.
On the dawn of 19th August the attack by the infantry got under way. The Third Army advanced slightly to the east and reached the ruins of the village of Selo although no progress was made on the Vipacco Valley. The Second Army retreated instead over various kilometres towards the internal areas of the Bainsizza plateau and succeeded in capturing more than 11,000 prisoners as well as tens of cannons. All the members of the Supreme Command were surprised at the ease with this operation was conducted.
The same situation happened at the foot of Mount Santo on 24th August: in a few minutes the Italian regiment reached the peak and finally took possession of this hill. The enthusiasm was even felt at the offices of the allied states and Lloyd George was sure that the First World War had reached a decisive stage.
But in the following days what had earlier seemed a relentless advance by the Italian army was interrupted abruptly. The terrain of the Bainsizza plateau proved very difficult to cross and the army took several days to move the heavy armaments. Moreover, the ultimate objective of this operation, Mount San Gabriele, was well guarded by the Austro-Hungarian forces. In the next twenty days several attacks took place that cost the lives of 25,000 Italian soldiers but the top of the hill did not fall. On 19th September it was obvious that there could be no further advance and the offensive was suspended.
