Throughout the war soldier kits and life in the trenches improved considerably. After the first year, in the spring of 1916 new outfits began to be distributed which contributed to make life on the front less hard. Helmets appeared for the first time and were initially given to army divisions whose task was to cut the network of barbed wire fences and later to sentries. Boots were more modern and robust and divisions that were deployed in the mountains received hobnail boots that were more suitable for their movements. During winter even the first heavy overshoes and the first overcoats made their appearance.
Besides soldier kits, combat techniques also showed signs of improvement. In 1915 General Luigi Cadorna remained faithful to certain tactics that were typical of the previous century when officers led the assault and were followed by their men equipped with bayonets and backpacks. The use of barbed-wire fences, however, turned these men into targets that were easy to hit. During the next year the Supreme Command decided to introduce several changes and officers were allowed to remain behind the infantry. During assaults, the latter were allowed to leave their backpacks in the trenches so as to have greater agility.
At the same time several other aspects remained unchanged such as, in particular, the cruel manner in which senior military leaders would decide the fate of their soldiers. Cadorna, undoubtedly a charismatic but controversial character, remained convinced throughout his appointment that the only useful and proper way to conduct war was to attack at all costs, regardless of the consequences. Soldiers had to leave their trenches as soon as the order was given. Those who hesitated or who refused to do so were shot by Carabinieri stationed right behind them.
Similarly a heavy censorship continued within the army. Always under orders issued by the Chief of the Supreme Command, soldiers were not allowed to read unauthorized newspapers. As a result of this measure, the opinions (especially critical ones) of war correspondents remained outside the trenches. In the same way letters that were written by soldiers to their own families were inspected to ensure that the view that the war was not proceeding according to plan would not spread throughout the rest of the country. Also at the same time periods of leave were reduced to a minimum.
