Page - 222 - in THE FIRST WORLD WAR - and the End of the Habsburg Monarchy, 1914 – 1918

222 Adjusting to a Longer War and, above all, in South Tyrol (Südtirol). As doubts had arisen about the position of Italy as early as the mobilisation against Serbia, the Imperial and Royal Army Administration did not hesitate to examine the structural protective measures and, where it was considered necessary, to undertake further extensions. The blockhouses built in the 1860s were worthless ; even the armoured forts from the 1880s could not withstand prolonged shelling, likewise the forts built around the turn of the century. But the defensive forts at the Tonale Pass, near Lardaro and, above all, those on the plateau at Folgaria and Lavarone, southeast of Trento (Trient), were among the most modern fortifications.533 The sectors of the border with Italy were divided into six zones. The Nauders and Gomagoi barriers were located in Zone I, in the far west. In Zone II were the Tonale Fort and the Presanella Fort. It was Zone III, however, which was divided into the sub-sectors of Giudicarie (Judikarien) and Riva, that re- quired the most attention. Trento was protected by the armoured fort at Romagnano and smaller forts. The Adige-Arsa barrier was safeguarded by the Valmorbia Fort. In Giudicarie there was a series of older forts, first and foremost the one at Carriola. In the sector of Riva, the frontier Altissimo–Corni–Zugna–Pasubio was extended in the field. In addition, the sector on the northern shore of Lake Garda around Riva was supported by the Tombio Fort, a casemate fort and smaller forts. The centrepiece of Zone III, however, were the defensive forts on the plateau of the Sette Comuni, namely Serrada, Sommo, Sebastiano, Belvedere-Gschwent, Luserna, Verle and Cima di Vezzena. They had been constructed in such a way that they were at least equal to the numerous Italian armoured forts. They had been skilfully adapted to the terrain, stretching deep into the rocks, and had been equipped in places with concrete walls several metres thick and, above all, with solid ceilings. Externally, the forts were also covered in thick stone cladding. However, the Austro-Hungarian defensive forts were relatively poorly armed with artillery. Furthermore, a fact that hardly anyone knew was that it could not be gauged how the garrisoned soldiers would behave in the event of being bombarded for several days with thousands of 21 cm, 28cm and 30.5 cm calibre shells. At this point, however, the equipping and the planning were still being taken care of. Zone IV in the Alps around Fasan could boast only three outdated and partially disarmed forts, namely Albuso, Dosaccio and Moena (Mön). Finally, the Tyrol border was completed by Zone V, in which the Buas, Corte, Plätzwiese, Landro, Haideck and Mitterberg forts were located. Last but not least was the Zone Carinthia, with its completely outdated forts and blockhouses in the Fella and Seebach valleys as well as at the Bovec (Flitsch) pass. Taking all these constructions together, which the Dual Monarchy had to secure externally and which should also protect the core zones, the Empire created the im- pression of a large fortress set up for the purposes of all-round defence. Hundreds of