Vittorio Veneto was a straw that broke the CP back
The Italians were badly led during the war. Cadorna was a disaster. The battles of Isonzo were useless waste of italian man power. The bleeding of the italians, fresh troops from the east front and german aid were instrumental for the Caporetto Breakthrough. The italians however managed to retreat much of the troops while losing much of the equipment.
The Italians held at Piave without the newly arrived allied help because the Allies though holding at Piave was impossible. Diaz prepared the troops for almost a year before the counter-attack (being heavily critisized for the delay). When he attacked he overrun Austrian and German troops in a way that Caporetto seemed an ordery retreat.
A-H broke apart, literaly, with the Hungarians breaking the double crown. On
28th of October the A-H surendered at the Armistice of Villa Giusti. Provvisions in the treaty was
freedom of movement in A-H territory for all allies.
To be said, Bulgaria and the Ottomans already surrendered, and Autumn was a disaster on the west front. Germany, already in dire conditions, could possibly not fight a
three front war.
On 9th of November the German Revolution of 1918–1919 broke out and
Germany surrendered on 11 of November .
For Italy WWI was the blodiest war ever with 1.2M people dead. It was the paramount of the Pyric victory. Italy was drowned in dept. And the outrageous promises made by the UK and France during the London Pact (itself illegal under Italian, French and UK laws) were (rightfully) disattended at the peace treaties.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vittorio_Veneto:
Date 24 October – 3 November 1918
Location Vittorio, Kingdom of Italy
Result Decisive Italian victory
End of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
The Battle of Vittorio Veneto was fought between 24 October and 3 November 1918, near Vittorio Veneto, during the Italian Campaign of World War I. The Italian victory[6][7][8] marked the end of the war on the Italian Front, secured the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and was chiefly instrumental in ending the First World War less than two weeks later.
...
Under the terms of the Austrian-Italian Armistice of Villa Giusti, Austria-Hungary’s forces were required to evacuate not only all territory occupied since August 1914 but also South Tirol, Tarvisio, the Isonzo Valley, Gorizia, Trieste, Istria, western Carniola, and Dalmatia. All German forces should be expelled from Austria-Hungary within 15 days or interned, and the Allies were to have free use of Austria-Hungary’s internal communications. They were also obliged to allow the transit of the Entente armies, to reach Germany from the South
...
The battle marked the end of the First World War on the Italian front and secured the end of the Austro-Hungarian empire.[1][2] Already on 24 October the Hungarian government had called its troops to return without delay, as the war was lost.[14] As mentioned above, on 31 October Hungary officially left the personal union with Austria. Other parts of the empire had declared independence some days earlier, notably what later became Yugoslavia. The surrender of their primary ally was a another major factor in the German Empire deciding they could no longer continue the war.
Returning to the pool, I don't know if a 1-1 war would be won by A-H or Italy. Paradoxically Caporetto was instrumental into bringing all Austrian Army south of the Alps were it would be later be trapped. How it would play out in 1-1 is difficoult to say. Even if Austria wins (blodily) it can not rewind history and actually its victory would eventually accelarate the breakup. Even if Italy won (again blodily) only Trento and Trieste were core Italian and non very populated. Dalmatia and South Tyrol were mixed population for centuries and will be an headache.
Finally, for all detractors of the Italians in WWI, please do
learn your history before posting. I'm not particularly patriotic or nationalistic, and think that Italy should never entered that war. Trento and Trieste could be acquired easily at the A-H breakup ... however I don't know it the allies would have won the war without Italy. I'm however proud of Italy in WWII, we managed to make the Nazi lose with acceptable losses.
