The Resume

(September 4, 1850-December 21, 1928)
Born in Verbania, Italy
Italian Field Marshall
Chief of Staff of the Army (1914-17)

Why he might be annoying:

He started World War I with a series of four offensives that all failed, producing 250,000 casualties for little material gain.
He ordered the summary execution of officers whose units retreated.
He mounted machine guns behind his lines to fire on any stragglers.
He brought back the Roman practice of decimation, executing randomly chosen men from units he felt had failed to perform adequately in battle.
He was finally relieved of command when the Italian army collapsed after being attacked by the Austrians and Germans at Caporetto.
During the battle, he fled to Padua and left the army to its fate.
He claimed, 'I did all I could. Is it my fault if the army is full of vermin?'

Why he might not be annoying:

One biographer said that he was 'amiable within his small circle of friends.'
He had ordered the fortification of Monte Grappa, where the Italian forces successfully rallied after the rout from Caporetto.
He managed to impress Mussolini enough to get re-appointed Field Marshall (1924).
His son Raffaele became one of the leaders of the Italian resistance against the German occupation during World War II.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 41]
• Generals and Admirals
• I Died in 1928 (Ranked: 78)
• Profiles 32501-32750 (Ranked: 32741)
• Served in World War I

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 9 Votes: 88.89% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 77.78% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 17 Votes: 52.94% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 23 Votes: 60.87% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 12 Votes: 83.33% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 13 Votes: 61.54% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 23 Votes: 65.22% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 20 Votes: 65.00% Annoying