Talk:Armistice of Villa Giusti

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The way this armistice was negotiated is quite interesting. Also, it triggered the end of the First World War. The German article is very detailed, the English showed only the protocol, while there is no Italian version linked - but they show the building it:Villa Giusti (Padova).

In general, Austrians lament about incompetent or non-existing leadership especially during the negotiations and the communication of its results, while pointing out that the Italians gained most of the territory only after Austrians had been ordered to stop figthing. -- Matthead ^discuß!     O       21:37, 4 November 2006 (UTC)

I have here the first-hand account by Giovanni Battista Trener, interpreter for the Italian delegation (Studi Trentini 1958, pg. 504-513). Here's the salient part, for what's worth:

" (...) Too 'einschneidend' says v. Webenau, who feels that his powers don't suffice. (The Allies' conditions are) too harsh for soldiers. And we haven't got the power to lighten them, even if we wanted to.
The Austrian general asks to send two officers to Bolzano; from there they will phone Vienna.
Colonel schneller and captain Ruggera leave.
The two envoyes are back. They have the authorisation to sign. But they did something imprudent. Returning towards our lines they let it drop that the armistice is a done thing and that hostilities are ceasing.
Badoglio heard about it and protests at the start of the meeting, vehemently. He has the right to impose, he says, severe measures.
The Austrians are slient. Surely now they know that the military and political situations have worsened horribly in their absence.
And the delegation didn't know that. (...)
Weber von Webenau stands, and speaks. (...)
He speaks, moved and eloquent. He asks an immediate armed truce. He says: Fighting makes no more sense the war is over, no sense to make new victims, draw more blood, destroy more assets, impose the populations the horrors of a fighting retreat because by now all the clauses are accepted. (...)
Badoglio replies.
"Tell His Excellency that I fully share the humanitarian considerations he just raised and wholly accept them because deeply ingrained in our Latin soul. But war has its supreme necessities and I declare that I can't accept any suspension in the hostilities until the clauses aren't signed".
H. E. von Webenau explains that he didn't mean to discuss the clauses sent fom Versailles but only to suggest something.
Badoglio immediately shows the executive clauses of the armistice treaty, precisely those for the army; he'll show the ones for the navy in the evening. H. E. Weber asks to see them immediately.
Follows a minute of grave silence.
But who takes it upon himself to break it is once again the petulant Pole (Zwierkowski).
This time he speaks Italian, his own version of it, quick but broken by concitation.
He develops a legal thesis, he thinks: the Austrian army has already been given the order to cease fire, so... the Italian army has to stop because... "there's no more combatting" ("non c'è più combatto"). He says. And where "there's no more combatting"... we also have to stop, he says.
A real spanner in the works, that Pole.
Then it's Badoglio who stands, arms on the table, voice shaking.
"Tell H. E. that right now my troops have crossed the Tagliamento, my cavalry is chasing into the plain, while the attacking columns advance at a pace in the Alpine valleys. In Valsugana they passed Borgo and are marching on Trento.
I had to ask 24 hours because it's the minimum time in which I can commit my word that the order to cease fire will reach the heads of the advancing columns (...) Tell H. E., Badoglio goes on, that as a special kindness to His person I'm ready to order the cease fire within 24 hours as soon as he assures me that he's willing to accept the armistice conditions, that is, before the formal signature act, which requires some time to ready the papers, takes place". (...)
'3 November'
Afternoon. The command announces me the taking of Trento. (...)
H. E. v. Weber and baron v. Seiller carry the short war sabre. It's 15.10.
Badoglio takes from his pocket two telegrams: our troops have entered in Trento; have landed in Trieste, occupied Udine. Gentlemen; let's sign! GIfting almost two hours no the 24.
Von Weber declares that he accepts the clauses with protest for the brevity of terms".
I haven't yet checked how it fits with the German page - which seems to be rich in information on the Vienna happenngs, but not of actual events in Villa Giusti. And, Trener says, he waited for 20 years before committing to paper his account, hoping that someone else would tell it for history (the account was written in 1938 and published after his death). Do we have good material there? Regards, Tridentinus 16:01, 29 November 2006 (UTC)