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The Italian commander Luigi Cadorna deployed his forces broadly across the front rather than concentrating against the main target, Gorizia. Austrian General Svetozar Borojević von Bojna, a highly capable officer nicknamed “Chorvatský hlupák” (Croatian fool) by his men due to perceived incompetence, nevertheless organized an effective defense, inflicting significant losses on Italian efforts. The stalemate persisted, exemplifying the futility of costly offensives with scant territorial gains.