Capítulo 296: Chapter 296
Chapter 296: Taking Venice
In December, Grand Duke Albrecht, the supreme commander of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, initiated the final battle against the Kingdom of Italy. Venice had been besieged for several months, and its population had dwindled significantly. Many had fled to East Africa or elsewhere. The Austro-Hungarian Empire decided it was time to end the conflict, as the overall goals had been achieved.
The Austro-Hungarian forces launched a full-scale offensive, bombarding the city defenses of Venice with heavy artillery. In the Lombardy region, they also initiated a large-scale offensive. The expeditionary force that had earlier detoured back to the Holy Land and the Holy State army advanced towards Florence once again.
The Kingdom of Naples did not play a significant role in this offensive, primarily guarding against any potential threats from Sicily. Sicily, while still under Italian rule, had no intention of reuniting with the Kingdom of Naples and sought autonomy.
Despite the improvements in the Kingdom of Italy's military capabilities during the months when the Austro-Hungarian Empire temporarily ceased its offensive, the situation was challenging. Emmanuel II sought military aid from Britain, which was now willing to assist Italy, aiming to curb the Austro-Hungarian Empire's expansion.
During these months, the Austro-Hungarian Empire had not exerted its full military strength, which allowed the Italian military to report various successes. Venice, which had been under siege, was slowly crumbling, but the Italian main force remained largely unscathed.
The Italian military claimed that the Austro-Hungarian Empire was weakening and that Venice's fortifications could hold. However, this assessment was based on incomplete information, as the Austro-Hungarian Empire had not yet committed its full strength.
The Kingdom of Italy's strategic situation was further complicated by local citizens in Venice who began supporting the Austro-Hungarian Empire once it entered the city. The Venetian citizens, fed up with the Kingdom of Italy's exploitation and corrupt officials, assisted the Austro-Hungarian army and even fought against the Italian troops. This internal strife contributed to Venice's rapid fall to the Austro-Hungarian forces.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire's entry into Venice, with the assistance of local citizens, led to the city's capture, dealing a significant blow to the Kingdom of Italy.
(Note: This is the end of the chapter.)
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