The first English-language history of the "Alpini", Italy's elite mountain troops. This is a comprehensive history of Italian mountain troops (the Alpine infantry "Alpini" and the mountain artillery "Artiglieria da Montagna") from the 1870s to the present. The Alpini suffered a crushing defeat to the Ethiopian army at Adwa in 1896. During WWI, the Italian mountain troops fought against Austrian Gebirgsjäger high in the Alps. This fighting, known as the war of snow and ice, involved some of the most demanding mountaineering and high-elevation combat of the modern era. Grueling mountain battles continued during the Second World War, and the Alpini remained ready to fight through the Cold War and beyond. The book addresses unit organisation and development, missions, and uniforms and equipment from the inception of these units, through both world wars, and to the present. The narrative history of the Alpini is accompanied by more than 300 photographs. This is the first English-language history of this elite troop. AUTHOR: Enrico Finazzer was born in 1969 in Trento, Italy, where he now lives and works. He is married and has two sons. After completing classical studies, he graduated with a law degree in Trento, and obtained an MA in European law at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium. He then worked at the European Commission before being employed in an Italian bank. Passionate of military history, since 2012 he has started publishing his own works with several editors. He cooperates with various museums and modelling club. SELLING POINTS: . This is the first English-language history of the Alpini, the Italian mountain soldiers famous for their fighting spirit and feathered headgear . The Alpini, founded in 1872, is the oldest specialised mountain troop operating today . This volume includes over 300 vintage photos and maps along with a detailed narrative history 480 colour and b/w photographs