The Battle of Solferino and San Martino by sandra46

Photography • Landscape • posted on Jan 10, 2011

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Description

From the terrace of the cafeteria at San Martino della Battaglia one can see the plain where the famous battle of Solferino was fought during what is usually called the Second War of Italian Independence in Italian schoolbooks . The Battle of Solferino, (referred to in Italy as the Battle of Solferino and San Martino), was fought on June 24, 1859 and resulted in the victory of the Franco-Sardinian Alliance, that is the allied French Army under Napoleon III and Sardinian (later Italian) Army under Victor Emmanuel II against the Austrian Army under Emperor Franz Joseph I; it was the last major battle in world history where all the involved armies were under the personal command of their monarchs. Perhaps 300,000 soldiers fought in this important battle, the largest since the Battle of Leipzig in 1813. There were about 160,000 Austrian troops and a combined total of 156,000 French and allied Piedmontese troops. The clash was chaotic, on a front stretching for 15 kilometers. The battle was a particularly gruelling one, lasting over nine hours. Reports of wounded and dying soldiers being shot or bayoneted on both sides added to the horror. In the end, the Austrian forces were forced to yield their positions, and the Allied French-Piedmontese armies won a tactical, but costly, victory. After this battle, the Austrian Emperor refrained from further direct command of the army. Napoleon III was moved by the losses, and for reasons including the Prussian threat and domestic protests by the Roman Catholics, he decided to put an end to the war with the Armistice of Villafranca (July 12, 1859). The Italians won Lombardy but not the Venetia. The Kingdom of Italy was created in 1861. The battle is especially notable for being witnessed by the Swiss Jean-Henri Dunant. Horrified by the suffering of wounded soldiers left on the battlefield, Dunant set about a process that led to the Geneva Conventions and the establishment of the International Red Cross. Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poem 'The Forced Recruit at Solferino' commemorates this battle (Last Poems 1862). Joseph Roth's 1932 novel Radetzky March opens at the Battle of Solferino. There, the father of the novel's Trotta dynasty is immortalized as the Hero of Solferino. Thanks for your kind comments.

Comments (47)

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Cosme..D..Churruca

8:18AM | Tue, 11 January 2011

wow! this is HISTORY! fantastic work.

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jac204

8:25AM | Tue, 11 January 2011

Thank you for sharing this nice photo and the historical context.

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MagikUnicorn

9:45AM | Tue, 11 January 2011

B E A U T Y

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anmes

6:10PM | Tue, 11 January 2011

Great long shot across the site of the battle, the founding of the Red Cross was a positive outcome from such devastation.

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mgtcs

6:40PM | Tue, 11 January 2011

Marvelous view here, superb photo, colors and lighting, congratulations!

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marybelgium

2:54AM | Wed, 12 January 2011

interesting view !

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erlandpil

5:36AM | Wed, 12 January 2011

Great shot erland

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Rhanagaz

7:27AM | Wed, 12 January 2011

Excellent captured scene! Sadly war is still a solution in use for trying solving political issues!...:o[

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dochtersions Online Now!

7:54AM | Wed, 12 January 2011

Very great POV, view and story!!!

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Richardphotos

8:52PM | Thu, 13 January 2011

very beautiful countryside

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clbsmiley

5:35PM | Sat, 15 January 2011

I love the distance, and color changes you have captured here. :) And the info too.

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KatesFriend

8:51PM | Sat, 15 January 2011

It's hard to believe that this seemingly tranquil place could have played host to such a level of carnage.

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Minda

9:41PM | Sat, 15 January 2011

excellent capture and Great story sandra

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MidnightPlatinum

6:17PM | Sun, 16 January 2011

Wow, what a strong image! I love the elements!

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mariogiannecchini

12:25AM | Tue, 18 January 2011

Grnde racconto di questa guerra ! Onestamente ai tempi della scuola ritenevo la storia una materia inutile . E' anche vero che nessuno ha mai spiegato con tenti dettagli l'avvenimento che diventava solo una data da imparare a memoria !

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