Called by some a "Mediterranean Jutland," the Battle of the
Otranto Straits involved warships from Austria, Germany, Italy,
Britain, and France. Although fought by light units with no
dreadnoughts involved, Otranto was a battle in three dimensions
engaging surface vessels, aircraft, and subsurface weapons (both
submarines and mines). An attempt to halt the movement of
submarines into the Adriatic using British drifters armed with nets
and mines led to a raid by Austrian light cruisers. The Austrians
inflicted heavy damage on the drifters, but Allied naval forces
based at Brindisi cut off their withdrawal. The daylight hours saw
a running battle, with the Austrians at considerable risk. Heavier
Austrian units put out from Cattaro in support, and at the
climactic moment the Allied light forces had to turn away,
permitting the Austrians to escape. In the end, the Austrians had
inflicted more damage than they suffered themselves. The Otranto
action shows the difficulties of waging coalition warfare in which
diplomatic and national jealousies override military
efficiency."
General
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