Thunder in the Mountains: The First World War on the Italian Front

“This a delightful read with the war history interspersed with travel observations.” – Historical Miniatures Gaming Society

Thunder in The Mountains looks at the First World War on the Italian Front, the little-known theatre of war where men fought amongst the towering peaks and glaciers of the Italian Alps.

Part history, part travelogue, and part battlefield guidebook, Thunder in The Mountains tells the extraordinary story of battles fought in the most inhospitable environments, from the ‘howling wilderness’ of the arid Carso Plateau to the avalanche-ravaged mountains of the Dolomites. Feats of incredible daring and bravery were carried out against a beautiful backdrop, as men dug tunnels in ice, blew the tops off mountains, and made advances that measured in vertical feet.

The author spent six years exploring the battlefields and researching this subject, and in addition to an authoritative and engaging text there are 149 photos and 26 maps to help the reader understand the scope and difficulty of mountain warfare, and appreciate the wild beauty of these battlefields.

As well as being lavishly illustrated in colour, in a radical other military history books, Thunder in The Mountains also contains QR codes that link to additional photos, maps, videos, animations, and downloadable battlefield walks. This additional content can be viewed alongside the text, giving readers a deeper understanding of this incredible conflict.

Tom Isitt is an author, historian and photographer, specialising in the lesser-known aspects of the First World War. With 35 years writing experience behind him, he has been published in over a dozen countries. Thunder in The Mountains is his fifth book.