Armando Diaz - Reference

Military leader, born in Naples, Campania, SW Italy. In charge of operations at the outbreak of World War 1, he replaced Luigi Cadorna as chief-of-staff after the Caporetto defeat in November 1917. He reorganized the army and was responsible for the victorious Vittorio Veneto offensive in 1918. He became a senator from 1918, then war minister (1922–4), and was made marshal of Italy in 1924.

Armando Diaz (December 5, 1861–February 29, 1928) was an Italian general and a Marshal of Italy.

Born in Naples, Diaz began his military career as a student at the Military Academy of Turin, where he became an artillery officer. He was promoted to 2-star general in June, 1916, and assumed the command of the 49th division and then the 23rd army corps.

The Battle of Caporetto, in October 1917, was disastrous to the army, and on November 8, 1917, he was called to succeed Cadorna as chief of general staff. In 1918 he led the Italian troops in the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, and in his famous bollettino della Vittoria (Victory Address) he communicated the rout of the Austrian army and success of the Italians.

After the war Diaz became a senator and in 1921 was given title of Duca della Vittoria.

Reference

This article uses material from the equivalent Italian-language article, retrieved November 16, 2005.