Waging vertical war on the Tofane mountain, World War 1

Battle of Tofane, a stretch of the [Italian Front](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Front_(World_War_I)) during the [First World War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I), took place at the Tofane mountain group in the Eastern Dolomite Mountains. For climbers, these peaks offer a never-ending challenge of cliff, ice-covered chimneys, and glaciers. However, for soldiers during La Grande Guerra, the natural terrain features and severe climate provided an endless opportunity to ambush or delay the enemy.

Infantry attacks often took place on 45-degree rock slopes, even in howling blizzards. Once the peaks were captured, the war went underground, with tunneling and enormous explosive mines. The Austrians initially held the high ground. The only advantage the Italians had were numbers, as most of [Franz Josef's army](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiserjager) was battling for survival in Russia. Cortina d'Ampezzo was captured within a month of the start of hostilities in May of 1915.

As the town lies in the evening shadow of Tofane, the subsequent capture of the peak was imperative for the Italians. The ensuing battles for Tofane would see peaks captured and lost, as the finest mountain troops of both nations, the Italians' [Alpini](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpini) and the Austrians' [Kaiserjager](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiser_Jager), made vertical war on each other. Several battles pitted regiment against regiment, but just as deadly were the uncounted patrols meeting face to face.

There were also several companies of [German Alpenkorps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpine_corps) stationed in the Dolomites region. Despite the early tragedy of losing their commanding general, Cantore, to a headshot on July 20, 1915, the Italians advanced from the south and east up the Tofane massif. In August of 1915, the Alpini Belluno Battalion and attached units of Besaglieri captured the highest passes at Forcella Fontananegra. The next month, a company of volunteer Alpini from Feltre captured the summits of Tofane di Rozes and the Tofane di Mezzo.

By October, the entire group had been captured, including the western summits of Tofane di Dentro and most of the nearby peak of Lagazuoi, beyond the initial mission. Except for two inaccessible Austrian outposts below the lesser Tofane summits, known as Nemesis and Schreckenstein, the range was firmly in Italian hands.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata