The Italians mostly fought against Austria-Hungary during World War I. The two countries fought along the northern border near the Italian Alps and the Isonzo river. The Italian army repeatedly attacked Austria but did not have the advantage. The Austrians had the elevated position and the Italians were led by inexperienced and overly aggressive officers. In 1917, the German and Austrian counteroffensive against Italy began. By later October, they broke through the Italian line. After this offensive, the Austrians soon began to fall apart. On November 3rd, they sent a flag of truce to the Italian Commanders asking to negotiate peace. Both sides had many casualties and not just from fighting. Diseases such as cholera spread by contaminating food, killing many from consuming it. Even if you weren’t fighting at the front, life was still hard. People suffered from major money loss which led to starvation and poverty. Overall, life in Italy during World War I was a horrible one no matter who you were. …show more content…
He was seriously wounded by a mortar fire after returning from the canteen with chocolate and cigarettes. Even though he was wounded, he helped other soldiers to safety, receiving the Italian Silver Medal of Bravery. He was transported to the Red Cross hospital in Milan for his injury and met Agnese von Kurowsky. She was a nurse at the hospital who Hemingway fell in love with. Some events in A Farewell to Arms are based on Hemingway’s own experiences in World War