The
circulars issued by the Ministry of War
Works on the Vallo Alpino began, on a large
scale, in the early 1930s. During this time, some circulars were issued by the Ministry of
the War in Rome to establish rules and technical procedures for building the
fortifications on the Alps. So important the prescriptions of the circulars were, that
defensive works complying with a certain circular are commonly referred to by the name of
the circular itself.
During the 1920s, scattered work was already done on some Alpine
sectors. Only a renewed fear of future invasions induced Rome to taking action. The result
was that Circular number 200 was issued in January 1931: it was then that the Vallo Alpino
defensive works began on a large scale all along the border with France, partially along
the border with Swissland and Austria and, of course, along the border with the Reign of
Jugoslavia. It was a complex project stretching from Tyrrenian shores to Adriatic sea and
running all along the watershed of the entire Alpine ridge.
Isolated works on Julian Alps indeed started before 1931 but for sure
all the works, eventually completed before circular 200, must have been modified to be
compliant with this circular.
Circular 200 referred to the fortified positions as centers of resistance and each work
was assigned a letter and number for identification. Later Circular 7000 became the basis
for a new type of fortification simply known as a weapon position. The last important
document was circular 15000 which was issued on 31st of December 1939. It was the basis
for the largest and most modern works. It also began the last and more advanced type of
fortifications building on the Alps.
Most of eastern Vallo works have been built according to circular 200
and they should be correctly referred to as centers of resistance, but, in general terms,
any defensive work nowadays is simply called work (opera).
Circulars emissions started different phases of construction.
Phase I: 1931-1937. Ciruclar 200 set the standards for this period.
At that time, works on prominent summits and those blocking the lines of communciation
were given top priority. The armament of these positions was the heavy machinegun and
anti-tank guns. These defensive works had variable dimensions with different size
garrisions. The ethiopian crisis, the expansionism of the strong ally of the new born Axis
(anschluss of Austria) led Rome to understand the importance of enhancing the Vallo Alpino
by new plans and designs.
Phase II: 1938- 1939. Circular 7000 was issued in 1938 when fortifications developed
during the first phase were coming to completion. The defensive works built according to
circolar 7000 were indeed smaller positions used to quickly strengthen the Vallo.
These positions are simply known as Pariani positions after the general who signed the
circular. These small positions consisted of only a single block with two machine guns or
an anti-tank gun sometimes without any underground rooms.
Phase III: From 1940 on. The last phase began when General R.Graziani issued Circular
15000 on December 31, 1939. This circular ordered some rules for more advanced and
sophisticated positions. Anyway, by autumn of 1942 most work had stopped and just few of
the multi-block Type 15.000 works were nearing completion.
Circular
15000
Circular 15.000 is important since it was issued after the
invasion of Poland.
On those early phases of war, Mussolini had not yet committed Italy to joining his
powerful Axis partner and this circular shows that Rome's primary intention was just
defending her positions inside her alpine boundaries. Fearing that Italy would suffer a
german invasion or annexation may have forced the regime to enhance the positions on the
Alps.
This circular din't set any completely new
standard for new types of defensive works. It is underlined the necessity to modernize the
existing works, to start building the third and fourth defensive systems and a general
classification of works is given with regard to the defensive systems on which they would
have been built. The circular is written in so general terms that any local military
command would have had the freedom to apply its general lines in different ways according
to the particular case.
The wall on eastern Alps was already full
operative when circular 15000 was issued. This is why it seems difficult to find a real
15000 work built on these sectors. Moreover the circular says that the existing works,
built according circular 200, should have been modified to become complying with the new
circular."200 fortifications" were modified with elements of 15000 making the
classification of the defensive works become very difficult.
The modernization followed three main lines:
communications, logistical part reorganization and the weapons fire.
As for communications, "200
fortifications" should have been improved by some powerful domestical means of
communication between the commander of the fortification and each position. Regardless of
the lack of iron, observatories were to be built to improve the effectiveness of the
fortification fire. I read some comments about communications written, in those times, by
a powerful general (also author of following circulars): it was observed that "200
fortifications" fire was not very effective due to the lack of proper observatories
whose importance was actually understimated. Each defensive work should have had at least
one observatory by which the commmander would have been given the possibility to guide his
fire. "200 fortifications", the general said, were like underground graveyards
or submarines without periscopes. It was then noticed that, being commanders'
observatories as important as weapons basements, they had to be as armoured as blocks were
the same way that commanding decks on warships were as protected as guns turrets.
Circular 15000 set some generic rules about
the mandatory presence of a larger and more complete logistical part.
Moreover, to improve the fire effectiveness,
it was underlined the necessity to increase the number of combat blocks with frontal
action in comparison to blocks with lateral or secondary fire action.
Within Circular 15000 there is a
classification of the defensive systems with regard to the type of enemy attack.
Where the land is open wide or the alpine
crossings are broader and lower, being the attack front wide, it could have been stopped
only by the strongest defensive system (type A) which was supposed to be spread on a
continuum of defensive works.
Where the Alps instead offer stronger
natural defences, mountains and passes should have routed the attackers' action just along
directions which could have been easily foreseen. It could have been sufficient for the
defenders to only block these directions to stop the entire enemy action. This was the
case of the type B defensive system which was supposed to properly stop columns of
attacking tanks.
In particular cases, type C defensive system
should have been adopted: the roads and the terrain are such that attacks can be only
isolated, sporadic and following few and well known directions. Type C defensive system
line is made up only by smaller fortifications, but strong enough to block the
communications ways at particularly strategic spots. Type C defensive system would have
required smaller fortifications since roads in this case were such not to allow the enemy
important adancing by strong forces. The system was perhaps that used on narrow valleys
inside mountanous areas where every communication is made difficult by the nature of the
terrain itself.
The classification of the defensive works
may be summed up this way:
1. Large.
These works had 5 or more weapon blocks which could include machine guns, anti-tank
guns, mortars and flame throwers. This fortification was commanded by an officer.
2. Medium.
They have from 2 to 4 combat blocks with weapons similar to larger ones. Unlike the larger
type, these fortifications might be commanded by a noncommissioned officer.
3. Small.
This type had only 1 or 2 blocks armed with a machine gun, anti-tank gun and sometimes a
flame thrower. Because of its small size, the fort was to be occupied by the garrison only
just before going into action against the enemy.
The classification of works is made
regardless of the classification of the defensive systems: defensive systems could have
been made up by any type of fortifications.
