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Carlo Caneva

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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"CARLO CANEVA (1845-1922), Italian general, was born at Tarcento (Friuli) in 1845. His birthplace being under Austrian rule until 1866, Caneva was educated at the Military Academy at Wiener Neustadt, but he entered the Italian army on May 1 1866. In 1892 he attained the rank of colonel on the general staff, and he was promoted to major-general two years later. He served in the African campaign of 1897, and in 1902 was promoted lieutenant-general. After commanding a division and an army corps, he became sub-chief of the general staff and in 1910 he was chosen to command an army in the event of war. The event came a year later, with the outbreak of war between Italy and Turkey; Caneva commanded one side in the muchdiscussed manucevres of 1911, his opponent being Cadorna, and the former was declared victor, though military opinion was divided. In any event, it was probably owing to the result of the manoeuvres that the selection to command the Tripoli Expeditionary Force fell upon Caneva rather than Cadorna. Caneva was given a thankless task. He was sent to occupy the coast towns, in the belief that the Arabs and Berbers would welcome the Italian occupation, and that the Turkish garrison unsupported by the tribesmen could be brought to surrender with little or no difficulty. He was speedily undeceived, and the initial overconfidence was succeeded by a period of excessive caution. For a time Caneva could do nothing, as he had no transport, and later on he was hampered by orders from home which forbade risks or heavy casualty lists. But even allowing for his handicaps Caneva was generally considered to have carried the waiting policy too far and clung to it too long. Although the late spring and summer of 1912 saw a change, and several important successes were gained, Caneva was recalled to Italy on September 2. He was promoted to Generale d'Esercito on September 12, and shortly afterwards retired. He presided over the commission of inquiry into the Caporetto disaster in 1917. (W. K. McC.)