[Ennath]

May 23, 1915
Diplomatic Relations Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary, but defers any declaration concerning Germany. Ostensibly, the Italian objective is territorial annexations, but by not declaring war on Germany or Turkey, they violate the terms of the Treaty of London.
The Allies warn Turkey on the Armenian massacres.
Italian Forces and Plans The Italians bring to the Allies about 875,000 troops, courageous, but questionably led and deficient in artillery, transport and ammunition supplies. There is also a shortage of professional NCO’s as 37% of the men are illiterate. Military service has been unpopular, the army being seen as the tool of the bosses and landlords and southerners resent the domination of northerners. They intend to contain the forbidding Trentino salient by offensive-defensive action, while attacking eastward in the Isonzo valley. Little attention has been paid to the lessons of the Western Front and the main tactic at first is massed infantry attacks with insufficient artillery support.
The Italian fleet is powerful, but cautiously led and its training leaves something to be desired.. Its addition to the French fleet further pens in the Austrian fleet. The Italians, however, insist that all Allied naval forces in the Adriatic must be under Italian command. This is especially annoying to the French, whose fleet is in many ways larger and more powerful. There has been no joint planning with the army and, indeed, the two services are barely on speaking terms.
Austrian Preparations It will be some weeks before the Italians are ready for a major attack and the Austrians use the time well. The main avenue of Italian attack is fairly obvious and troops are rushed from the Balkans to form 5th Army, under Svetozar Borojevic von Bojna, one of the best Austrian commanders of the war. Troops are strengthened by their resentment of Italian “betrayal” and Slavic troops are well aware of Italian territorial ambitions; they have little love for the Hapsburgs, but none for the Italians.
Western Front The Germans launch an unsuccessful attack at Festubert.
Italian Front There is an Austrian attack in the Carnic Alps.

May 23, 1916
Western Front, Verdun The Germans move in reinforcements at Douaumont via a tunnel at the fort’s northeast corner. They also set up a mine-thrower that blasts the rampart where the French machine gun is mounted. By nightfall, the battle ends, with the French attackers either surrounded and taken prisoner or sneaking back to their lines in the darkness. The attack force was simply too small to do the job and their efforts end in failure, with heavy loss.
Italian Front Italian forces in the Sugana valley retreat.
Sudan Anglo-Egyptian forces occupy the Fur capital at El Fasher. Ali Dinar flees.

May 23, 1917
Western Front A German attack at Craonne fails.
Italian Front The Italians stage a major attack on the Carso from Kostanjevica to the sea, taking several prominent positions and 9000 prisoners.
Serbia Apis and eight of his co-defendants are sentenced to death and two more to 15-year terms.
Rumania The country adopts the Gregorian calender.
German East Africa Belgian troops capture Captain Max Wintgens, who in February, without orders, had marched off on his own with several hundred askaris, much to the surprise of both the British and Colonel Lettow-Vorbeck, raiding and destroying in areas the Allies had regarded as already safe and apparently heading for Tabora. Suffering from typhus, Wintgens has no choice but to surrender himself in order to obtain treatment. Lt. Naumann assumes command of his vagabond force, which is pursued by the Belgians, a special British force, called Edforce after its commander Brigadier W. F. S. Edwards, and the 10th South African Horse. Naumann now has a force of 400; the pursuing Allied forces number 4000.

May 23, 1918
Western Front French raids occur near Mount Kemmel.
Arabia Sherifian forces attack a Turkish force near Abu Naam, 80 miles north of Medina.
English Channel The auxiliary cruiser Moldavia is torpedoed and sunk; 56 are lost.
United States A “fight or work” conscription policy is in effect from July 1. Film stars are exempted, but baseball players are not.

May 23, 1919
Latvia The Baltic Landwehr freikorps depose the Latvian government and seize control of Riga. Latvia requests Estonian assistance.
Afghanistan The British destroy an Afghan force at Birkot.