November 4, 1918: Victory Day

November 4, 1918 is a date that will forever remain etched in Italy's history. On this day, General Armando Diaz, Supreme Commander of the Italian Army, announced with the famous Victory Bulletin the end of hostilities against the Austro-Hungarian Empire, marking Italy's victory and the end of World War I.

This moment marked the conclusion of one of the most devastating conflicts for our country and for all of Europe. With November 4, the Austro-Hungarian domination over the Italian lands of Trentino, Alto Adige, and Venezia Giulia ended. These territories, called "unredeemed" because they were still under foreign rule, finally returned to Italy. That day thus represented not only a military victory but also a symbol of national unity and identity.

November 4 continues to be a symbol of the valor and sacrifice of our ancestors and our armed forces. It is a date that calls for national pride and gratitude for those who fought with courage and for the exclusive, unique love of the Fatherland. Remembering this day also means reflecting on the importance of peace and the precious and arduous path that led to the construction of the Italy we know today.

The Victory Bulletin

War Bulletin No. 1268, better known as the "Victory Bulletin," was issued at 12 noon by the Supreme Command of the Royal Army and, with solemn words, celebrated the courage and sacrifice of the Italian Army and its allies. General Diaz praised the heroism of the Italian soldiers, who for 41 months, from May 24, 1915, fought against an enemy often superior in numbers and means.

The war against Austria-Hungary which, under the high guidance of H.M. the King, supreme leader, the Italian Army, inferior in numbers and means, began on May 24, 1915, and with unshakable faith and tenacious valor conducted uninterrupted and very harsh for 41 months, is won.

The gigantic battle engaged on October 24 of last month, in which fifty-one Italian divisions, three British, two French, one Czechoslovak, and one American regiment participated against seventy-three Austro-Hungarian divisions, is over.

The lightning-fast and daring advance of the XXIX Army Corps on Trento, blocking the retreat routes of the enemy armies of Trentino, overwhelmed to the west by the troops of the VII army and to the east by those of the I, VI, and IV, determined yesterday the total collapse of the opposing front. From the Brenta to the Torre, the irresistible momentum of the XII, VIII, X armies, and the cavalry divisions, pushes the fleeing enemy further back.

In the plain, H.R.H. the Duke of Aosta rapidly advances at the head of his undefeated III army, eager to return to the positions it had already victoriously conquered, which it had never lost.

The Austro-Hungarian Army is annihilated: it has suffered heavy losses in the fierce resistance of the first days and in the pursuit has lost enormous quantities of material of all kinds and almost entirely its warehouses and depots. It has so far left in our hands about three hundred thousand prisoners with entire staffs and no less than five thousand cannons.

The remnants of what was one of the most powerful armies in the world are retreating in disorder and without hope up the valleys they had descended with proud confidence.