Mountain War: A Doctor's Diary of the Italian Campaign 1914-1918

Dr Isaak Barasch's diary provides a unique insight into the First World War, focusing on his experiences on the Italian front. He expresses his anger at superiors and his concern for remaining human, leading to his placement in a psychiatric hospital. His account offers a rare inside view of life in the Austro-Hungarian army.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 22 November 2021
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

Dr. Isaak Barasch's diary, which he kept while serving in the Austro-Hungarian army on the Italian front during the First World War, provides a remarkable insight into the conflict and the man himself. Few personal accounts of service on the Italian front have been published in English, and diaries from the Habsburg side are even rarer. Therefore, Barasch's writing is exceptional. He does not record military actions and maneuvers in detail but rather focuses on his own reflections and feelings as he coped with the sick and wounded on the front line. He is often angry with the army and the war but never expresses jingoistic hatred of the enemy. His indignation is directed at superiors, commanders, and politicians who know nothing of the terror of the fighting. When reproached for being too sensitive and insufficiently hardened, he noted that his biggest worry was how to remain untouched - how to retain his humanity.

Eventually, Barasch's sensitivity and resistance to authority led to his being placed in a psychiatric hospital, and he died during the influenza pandemic of 1918. However, his unique account has been preserved and is now available in English for the first time. It is engrossing reading. It shows one man's honest, often emotional response to the experience of the war on the Italian front and offers a very rare inside view of life in the Austro-Hungarian army.

Barasch's diary provides a unique perspective on the war, as he was not a professional soldier but a medical officer assigned to the front line. He witnessed the horrors of war firsthand and experienced the emotional toll it took on both himself and his fellow soldiers. His writing is raw and emotional, and he does not shy away from expressing his feelings and opinions.

One of the most striking aspects of Barasch's diary is his criticism of the military hierarchy. He believes that the army is not well-trained, poorly led, and lacks discipline. He blames the high death toll on the lack of proper equipment and the poor conditions on the front line. He also criticizes the political leaders who sent the army into battle without properly preparing them or providing them with the necessary resources.

Barasch's resistance to authority is also evident in his diary. He refused to follow orders that he believed were unethical or immoral, such as the use of chemical weapons or the mistreatment of prisoners of war. He also refused to conform to the strict military hierarchy that was prevalent in the Austro-Hungarian army, which he saw as a threat to his humanity.

Despite his criticisms of the military and the war, Barasch does not express jingoistic hatred of the enemy. He recognizes that the enemy soldiers he fought against were also human beings, with families and loved ones back home. He expresses sympathy for their plight and regrets that they had to be caught up in the conflict.

Barasch's diary also provides a rare insight into life in the Austro-Hungarian army. He describes the daily routine of soldiers on the front line, the food they ate, the conditions they lived in, and the battles they fought. He also describes the social dynamics within the army, the relationships between officers and soldiers, and the hierarchies that existed.

Overall, Barasch's diary is a powerful and moving account of the First World War. It provides a unique perspective on the conflict and the man himself, and it is a valuable contribution to our understanding of the war. It is a must-read for anyone interested in history, military, or human emotions.

Weight: 544g
Dimension: 164 x 244 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399093101