The Generalissimo: Luigi Cadorna and the Italian Army, 1850-1928

by Marco Mondini

Overview

Luigi Cadorna remains one of the most controversial generals in Italian history. Appointed chief of the armed forces in 1914, he led the Italian army in the field from May 1915 until the aftermath of their calamitous defeat at Caporetto in 1917. In this major new biography, Marco Mondini traces Cadorna's rise, the nature of his command, the course of the Isonzo campaign, and the battles over his post-war reputation. He brings a new cultural perspective to Cadorna's life, demonstrating the role of Italy's military and national culture, the myths of the Risorgimento, and the mobilization of propaganda in creating an effective cult of personality. Utilizing ego-documents, memoirs, letters and public writings, Mondini delves into the ideology and psychology that combined to create such an untouchable autocrat, arguing that the history of fascism in Italy cannot be fully understood without appreciating Cadorna's role in the First World War.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781009098670
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	08/14/2025
Series:	Cambridge Military Histories
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Marco Mondini is Associate Professor in History of Conflicts at the University of Padua. His recent publications include Il ritorno della guerra. Combattere, uccidere, morire in Italia (1861-2022), Roma 1922. Il fascismo e la guerra mai finita, The Mediatization of War and Peace (as co-editor with C. Cornelissen) and Fiume 1919. Una guerra civile italiana.

Table of Contents

Introduction: forgetting Cadorna; Part I. The Ascent: 1. The force of destiny; 2. 'That most imperfect military organization': the army in Cadorna's time; 3. Waiting for war; Part II. The Enigma of Consensus: 4. Preparing for war; 5. The real thing; 6. Man management; Part III. The Downfall: 7. At Cadorna's court; 8. Caporetto according to Cadorna: a moral autobiography of the Italians; Conclusion: The Memoir Battle.

Editorial Reviews

‘Marco Mondini's study of Luigi Cadorna The Generalissimo is an absorbing portrait of a long- neglected but central figure in the story of the 1914–18 war. Mondini shows us how background, culture and inheritance shaped a complex persona, how personality translated into a harsh and inflexible command style, and how Cadorna, an idol on a self-made pedestal, presided unchecked over a bloody and largely fruitless slogging match for more than two years before crashing to defeat and humiliation. Wide in perspective and rich in insights, this model military biography will be essential reading for all students of the Great War.' John Gooch, University of Leeds

‘The leading Italian First World War historian of his generation, Marco Mondini expertly presents a convincing and balanced reappraisal of Cadorna's command. This long-overdue critical study of Italy's controversial chief of general staff makes an essential contribution to debates over leadership, strategy and tactics in the First World War.' Vanda Wilcox, John Cabot University, Rome

From the Publisher