Page 47 - The Secret War in the Italian front in WWI (1915-1918)

CHAPTER TWO

The sTrengThenIng of The InTellIgence offIce
Also, General Alberto Pollio, the new Chief of the Army Staff who succeeded Saletta, devoted due
care to the Intelligence Office that remained under his direct authority . The staff of the Office
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gradually expanded, but at least until 1914, the personnel of Intelligence Office never outnumbered
the staff of other offices of the Corps’ Headquarters, keeping the number of its officers under ten .
37
In November 1910, Pollio issued new directives that made Intelligence Office the pivot of all the
activities related to foreign countries. On the other hand, the Theatres, and the Colonial Office:

must conduct essential studies on the organisational structure and equipment of foreign military
forces as well as keep up-to-date situation of their finances (budgets of the Army and the
Navy); planned or current construction of fortifications; means of communication; technical
developments in weapons and fighting techniques; various publications on manoeuvres and
prevailing ideas about the conduct of the troops, etc .
38

Pollio was also interested in tactical information and issued the Norme Generali per l’impiego
delle grandi unità di Guerra (General Rules on the employment of higher combat echelons)
published in 1910. The Intelligence Office played a fundamental role also in this mater since it
would provide the Commander with data required to devise the manoeuvre concept .
39

2.4 INFORMATION SOURCES

MIlITary aTTachés
The 1907 Instructions included a confidential appendix containing the instructions for the military
attachés who had to provide the Headquarters of the General Staff Corps with information about
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the military potential of foreign countries, following for instance press news and public debates
on military issues and on all the aspects that could be useful to know the conditions and progress
of foreign armies as the turnover of top-ranking personnel, the organisation of services and the
manoeuvres .
41
While searching for information, military attachés had to remain within the limits of their official
duties and had to respect the local environment and customs. They also received information
about the special concessions given in Italy to foreign attaché of the Country where they operate
to obtain, if necessary, reciprocity of treatment.

36 Agenda no.11 of 23 June 1910, Incarichi vari e coordinamento di lavoro tra uffici (Various tasks and work coordination
among Offices), AUSSME, L-3 Series, env.297. As provided for by Agenda no.37 of 23 August 1906, the Intelligence Office
was directly under the Chief of the Army Staff.
37 Specchio indicante la composizione dello Stato Maggiore del Gran Quartier Generale (Headquarters of the General Staff
Corps orgnization scheme), December 1908, AUSSME, F-4 Series, env.37.
38 ibidem.
39 Circular no. 400, Esplorazione vicina e sicurezza (Nearby scouting and Security), May 1915.
40 The Chief of the Army Staff submitted the appointments and substitutions of military attachés to the Ministry of War that,
in turn, asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to carry out the official accreditation procedure. Missions generally lasted 4-6
years. Like all personnel employed by diplomatic missions, military attachés were under the authority of their Heads of
Mission, with respect to their contribution to the diplomatic mission and all the relations with foreign authorities.
41 If there were no naval attachés, the military attachés took on the task of providing up-to-date information about the Navy
of the country, in addition to data about ground forces.

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