152:, through neutral Switzerland, could lead to an attack on the area of Milan and thus on the heartland of Italian industrial production. Apart from a few border guards Italy had only eight battalions of the Territorial Militia on this frontier. This prompted the Italian government to restart the full-scale construction of the defensive line. Cadorna therefore decided to revive the 1882 plan, and ordered the building of an imposing fortified line from the Ossola Valley up to the Bergamesque Alps. It included roads, mule tracks, paths, trenches, artillery positions, observatories, field hospitals, command centers and logistics structures, all built at high altitudes from 600 to over 2,000 meters.
56:
155:
The project plan provided for 72 km of trenches, 88 artillery positions (including 11 built in caves), 25,000 square meters of barracks, 296 kilometers of roads and 398 kilometers of mule tracks, at a cost of over 105m lire (about 150m euros today), requiring 40,000 men to build it. This complex
331:
who had the task of protecting the left flank of the
Italian defensive front. Due to the lack of troops, which were almost entirely employed at the front, the posts and barriers were built in more rearward positions, in order to exploit the terrain. The 5th Army would have 4 Army Corps, (each of two
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and approved maintenance work on the
Cadorna Line. The Cadorna Line was briefly the focus of attention in 1938, when Mussolini thought about invading Switzerland, perhaps to flex his muscles with the Germans who had recently annexed Austria. The "Camicie Nere Como" battalion was sent to the border,
375:
General
Mambretti, dismissed by Cadorna, was placed in charge of the OAFN on 20 July 1917, replacing General Lequio. The command of the 5th Army was dissolved as that of the OAFN was considered more than sufficient. In May 1918 Mambretti handed over command to General Novelli. On January 10, 1919,
359:
river. “Plan C” was for an offensive to eliminate the Ticino salient in
Switzerland. Following rumors that Switzerland had entered into a secret pact with Germany to attack Italy, the plans were modified to assume Switzerland was hostile rather than a neutral country that had been invaded from the
292:
The
Cadorna Line was innovative - traditional structures such as isolated garrisons, vulnerable to heavy artillery, were abandoned in favor of steel armored domes, semi-permanent field works, barbette posts for mortars, howitzers and cannons, and cave positions for machine guns and medium caliber
202:
barrier was strengthened by providing a final retreat line at the
Candoglia quarries in order to take advantage of the natural defense offered by the mountains of the Val Grande. The barrier of the Simplon railway was not modified, because it was assumed that enemy occupation was certain. Half a
303:
Due to the scarcity of soldiers, the barrages were built along a rearward line that exploited the terrain following the ridges and depressions along the border. The military doctrine of the time still relied on the impact of massed troops rather than on new technologies. Thus the line was built
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The entrenchments were a succession of broken lines, often with sharp angles to ensure the greatest possible protection against the explosion of grenades, and at regular intervals they presented "bell" niches for the shelter of sentries in case of bad weather. Numerous tracts of trenches were
121:
In 1871 a renewed effort was made to include the plan in Italy's defence budget. However, in 1882 the
General Staff Committee declared its opposition to the idea, considering an Austrian violation of Swiss territory unlikely, and a German attack unrealistic. By this time the
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was established in Varese, under the 5th Army, aimed at "surveilling local conditions and studying the concrete implementation of the plans developed"; these plans provided for the border defense plan, with the support of the allied countries, as was decided during the
363:
In the first months of 1917 the works were almost complete, but by this time their garrison troops had already been sent to Veneto together with the units of the
Territorial Militia. The fortified system then passed under the control of 6 battalions of the Regia
172:, which worked so well that they also obtained orders for the fortifications in the Veneto region. By the declaration of war on Germany, Italy had completed the work, and created a special Command for them. The Italian-Swiss border was divided into 6 sectors:
217:) the defense was built along two lines; initially it was the positions of the Varese entrenched camp that were equipped, and only later was it decided to move up to the Luino-Ponte Tresa line. This stretch of the Cadorna Line passes through the
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After the Second World War the works were completely abandoned, and were mostly neglected. Because of the excellent quality of their construction, many of
Cadorna Line trenches and structures remain in good physical condition. The trenches of
203:
75 mm artillery battery (two guns) was assigned to the Iselle cave post, with the task of closing the tunnel in case of emergency. When the risk of invasion passed, this post remained the only one operating until the end of the war.
393:
but the order was revoked and the invasion abandoned. The only war action on the line was on
November 13, 1943, when the first battle of the resistance took place in the bunkers of San Martino in Valcuvia, when fascist government forces
279:
barrage was considered insufficient since its location, at the level of the lake, could allow the enemy to fight back from higher ground with artillery stationed on the nearby hills. High positions were then established further up on
126:
had in any case neutralised these threats of invasion. Nonetheless, work on the projects resumed, and carried on haltingly until 1911, when the State Defense Office brought forward a scheme along the
351:
Three battle plans were developed by the 5th Army Command. "Plan A" was defensive and assumed French support in the Arona-Gallarate area. “Plan B” involved an offensive "leap" up to the passes of
315:(outdoor and semi-raised positions protected by a wall), protected concrete bunkers, and caves where large-calibre artillery were housed, with magazines and barracks for the garrison.
860:"L'Italia fascista e la Svizzera nella Seconda Guerra mondiale si, nel qual caso l'Italia dovrĂ cercare di raggiungere il Gottardo. E che mo- strano anche il disprezzo viscerale"
859:
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On April 18, 1911, the General Staff entrusted the work to the Milan Military Engineering Works Management, who began work on the Mera - Adda barrier with the construction of
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equipped with small reductions, and ladders to allow the infantryman to exit in the event of a counterattack. There were also numerous machine gun positions underground.
1080:
35:) was the Italian defensive system on the northern border facing Switzerland, designed and built between 1899 and 1918. Its purpose was to protect the
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basin in order to prevent the passage from the Great St Bernard Pass, but the small likelihood of enemy maneuver in the sector limited the work.
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of works was never used. The fortifications were garrisoned at the beginning of the war but abandoned after the defeat at
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141:. Work continued intermittently until the outbreak of the Great War and was completed urgently when hostilities began.
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Maledetti figli di Giuda, vi prenderemo! La caccia nazifascista agli ebrei in una terra di confine, Varese, 1943-1945
296:
The designers relied most heavily on trenches. These were very different to the largely improvised structures of the
235:) The importance of this area was such that all plans had, as their first objective, the occupation of the entire
243:. For this reason it was decided to concentrate fire on the Melide dam-bridge, the only means of connection with
60:
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300:. The Cadorna Line trenches were designed in great detail, and equipped with parapets, loopholes and shelters.
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mainly with concrete front-line trenches, accompanied by platforms and niches as vantage points for shooting.
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Strade e sentieri della linea Cadorna. Itinerari storico-escursionistici dalla Valle d'Aosta alle Alpi Orobie
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divisions), two Cavalry Divisions, a division deployed in Valle d'Aosta and 56 medium-caliber batteries.
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La Linea Cadorna Storia e Itinerari Val d'Ossola - Val d'Intelvi - Lago di Como - Valtellina
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In the province of Como the following structures have been restored and can be visited:
269:: The occupation of the border barracks was only planned in the event of an offensive.
263:, the massive mountain range south of the valley offered a sufficient natural barrier.
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118:. Because of the costs involved, the plan was not implemented for a number of years.
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and after this the Cadorna Line remained unguarded until the end of the conflict.
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artillery. Machine gun nests were designed to ensure coordinated covering fire.
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and Monte Marzio in the province of Varese are particularly in good condition.
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70:, the Army General Staff first considered the need to fortify its borders with
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In September 1915, shortly after Italy entered the First World War. General
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102:. A plan was developed to build a series of forts and batteries linking the
228:
55:
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On January 16, 1917, the "Northern Frontier Advanced Occupation Command" (
1006:. Provincia di Varese Settore Marketing Territoriale e IdentitĂ Culturale
312:
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warned Chief of Staff Luigi Cadorna that an invasion of Lombardy by the
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The work was contracted out to several companies, including many from
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to protect and support the strategic point of the entire sector, the
244:
169:
131:
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368:. After Caporetto, these 6 battalions were also sent to defend the
275:: This sector used the Orobie Alps as a final defensive line. The
210:
54:
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Il confine settentrionale: Austria e Svizzera alle porte d'Italia
605:
Le fortificazioni della linea Cadorna tra Lago Maggiore e Ceresio
39:
Valley and its main industrial centres from an attack by France,
694:
Un secolo di relazioni militari tra Italia e Svizzera, 1861-1961
778:. Provveditorato generale dello Stato, Libreria. p. 112
488:
Le fortificazioni della linea Cadorna tra Maggiore e Ceresio
376:
the OAFN was dissolved and the Cadorna Line was abandoned.
355:
and Bernina and occupying the northern border ridges of the
323:
The fortified system was entrusted to the commander of the
247:. This action would have allowed the easy occupation of
311:
The gun batteries in the trenches were of three types:
74:
to prevent an invasion through the Alpine passes - the
475:
Italian fortifications on the Austro-Hungarian border
470:
Austro-Hungarian fortifications on the Italian border
454:, Varese and at Locco Tocco in the province of Lecco.
723:. Centro Documentale Frontiera Nord "Linea Cadorna“
341:
Comando Occupazione Avanzata Frontiera Nord (OAFN))
775:L'Esercito italiano nella grande guerra: 1915-1918
772:Italy. Esercito. Corpo di stato maggiore (1940).
717:"LA LINEA DI DIFESA NEL SETTORE VERBANO-CERESIO"
1026:"La Crocetta The trenches of the Linea Cadorna"
697:. Stato maggiore dell'Esercito, Ufficio storico
16:Italian defensive system on the northern border
1081:short film (in Italian) about the Cadorna Line
8:
917:Mimmo Franzinelli; Marcello Flores (2019).
493:Viviani, Ambrogio & Corbella, Roberto:
184:was integrated with some positions in the
686:
684:
803:The Italian Army and the First World War
795:
793:
66:In 1862, shortly after the birth of the
889:. Mario Chiarotto Editore. p. 23.
628:R. Roveda; M. Pellegrini (2018-07-31).
528:
59:Memorial stone for the Cadorna Line on
7:
598:
596:
594:
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571:"La Crocetta: the routes of the War"
551:. Lines Cadorna, Sentiero Della Pace
538:
536:
534:
532:
1000:"Porto Ceresio-Borgnana and return"
978:"Alla scoperta della Linea Cadorna"
958:. District to Turistico Demi Laghi
500:Minola, Mauro & Ronco, Beppe:
14:
511:, Edizioni del Capricorno, 2015
1004:Lines Cadorna:Sentiero del Pace
923:. Editori Laterza. p. 64.
634:. Oltre Edizioni. p. 221.
806:. Cambridge University Press.
438:Cave batteries are located at
1:
883:Scomazzon, Francesco (2005).
607:. Varese: Macchione Editore.
395:defeated a group of partisans
980:. Varese News. 13 March 2019
164:The construction of the line
47:violating Swiss neutrality.
1108:World War I defensive lines
744:"Il Percorso delle Trincee"
1124:
603:Corbella, Roberto (1998).
502:Fortificazioni di montagna
388:began construction of the
346:Third Chantilly Conference
800:John Gooch (2014-06-19).
380:After the First World War
180:: The nineteenth-century
61:Campo dei Fiori di Varese
1052:"Il Recupero di Cardina"
691:Alberto Rovighi (1987).
920:Storia della Resistenza
432:La Crocetta di Menaggio
424:(Fortino di Cavallasca)
319:The Line enters service
139:Fort Montecchio-Lusardi
836:Revue Militaire Suisse
340:
327:from Varese, Lt. Gen.
63:
32:
1058:. ANA sezione di Como
577:. Lago di Como Italia
543:Boldrini, Francesca.
446:in the Aosta Valley,
444:Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses
239:of Switzerland up to
58:
1098:Italy in World War I
721:centrodocumentale.it
669:. IlLagoMaggiore.com
384:In the thirties the
497:, Macchione Editore
490:, Macchione Editore
486:Corbella, Roberts:
329:it:Ettore Mambretti
282:it:Monte Legnoncino
194:: (Simplon Pass to
839:. 2003. p. 67
667:illalomaggiore.com
663:"The Cadorna Line"
507:Vaschetto, Diego:
366:Guardia di Finanza
348:in December 1916.
237:Mendrisio District
86:, the Spluga, the
64:
956:distrittolaghi.it
930:978-88-581-4051-2
896:978-88-89666-03-6
813:978-0-521-19307-8
641:978-88-99932-29-9
614:978-88-8340-039-1
504:Macchione Editore
219:Cinque Vette Park
25:Northern Frontier
23:, officially the
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411:Cassano Valcuvia
288:Design and build
128:Bergamasque Alps
76:Great St Bernard
68:Kingdom of Italy
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452:Monte Piambello
435:Cardina battery
397:led by Colonel
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267:S.Lucio-S.Jorio
207:Verbano-Ceresio
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124:Triple Alliance
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21:Cadorna Line
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575:lakecomo.is
465:Alpine Wall
422:Monte Sasso
399:Carlo Croce
390:Alpine Wall
177:Val d’Aosta
72:Switzerland
1092:Categories
1062:18 October
1036:18 October
1010:18 October
984:18 October
962:18 October
936:18 October
902:18 October
868:18 October
843:18 October
819:18 October
782:18 October
757:19 October
727:19 October
701:19 October
673:19 October
647:19 October
581:19 October
555:19 October
523:References
517:8877072539
448:Monte Orsa
440:Plan Puitz
370:Piave line
253:Sighignola
51:Background
407:Ornavasso
313:barbettes
273:Mera-Adda
200:Ornavasso
186:Etroubles
182:Fort Bard
158:Caporetto
134:salient.
116:Lake Como
459:See also
420:Fortino
325:5th Army
261:Menaggio
257:Porlezza
241:Capolago
233:Menaggio
130:and the
106:Valley,
98:and the
84:Gotthard
360:north.
337:Italian
255:. From
112:Ceresio
96:Stelvio
92:Bernina
80:Simplon
41:Germany
29:Italian
927:
893:
810:
638:
611:
515:
277:Colico
245:Lugano
229:ViggiĂą
198:) The
170:Varese
132:Ticino
104:Ossola
100:Tonale
94:, the
90:, the
88:Maloja
82:, the
78:, the
863:(PDF)
747:(PDF)
211:Luino
1064:2020
1038:2020
1012:2020
986:2020
964:2020
938:2020
925:ISBN
904:2020
891:ISBN
870:2020
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808:ISBN
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675:2020
649:2020
636:ISBN
609:ISBN
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557:2020
513:ISBN
357:Adda
114:and
19:The
442:in
259:to
231:to
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209:: (
43:or
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