Book Three Frederic returns to Gorizia. Rinaldi comes and examines his wounded leg. He further asks whether they have married or not. The priest notices a change in Frederic and also predicts that the war will end soon. Frederic travels to Bainsizza, where he meets Gino, who tells him about an artillery battery of terrifying guns that the Austrians have. Frederic realizes that Italians will not escape if the Austrians attack. It rains heavily, and the bombarding begins. Frederic discovers that morale has severely dropped. Not long afterwards, the Austro-Hungarians break through the Italian lines in the Battle of Caporetto, and the Italians retreat. The houses are evacuated. Women and children are loaded in trucks. At the villa, Frederic discovers that Rinaldi has taken off for the hospital; everyone else has evacuated too. There is considerable delay and chaos on the road during the retreat, and Frederic, wishing to avoid a possible aerial attack while stuck on the main retreat route, decides to take an alternate path. He and his men quickly get lost, and their cars are stuck in the mud, Frederic orders the two engineering sergeants riding with Bonello to help. Afraid of being overtaken by the enemy, they refuse and try to leave. Frederic draws his gun and shoots one of them; the other escapes. One of the drivers, Aymo, is later killed, while another, Bonello, runs away to surrender to the Austrians. Frederic and his last companion, Piani, catch up to the main retreat across the Tagliamento river. As soon as they cross the bridge, Frederic is taken by the military police to a place on the river bank where officers are being interrogated and executed for the "treachery" that supposedly led to the Italian defeat. Frederic escapes by jumping into the river. Afterwards, he walks through the plains and jumps aboard a moving train to Milan to find Catherine.
booK THRee frederic rEturns to GorIZIA. RinaLdi coMES and Examines hIs wOuNded Leg. He fUrther asks wHEThEr TheY HAvE maRrIed OR noT. tHe prieST NotIceS A change IN fRedEriC aNd alsO PredIctS that tHe War wIll end SooN. fredEric TraVels to BAINsizZA, where hE meEtS ginO, WhO teLlS him aboUT AN Artillery baTTeRy of terrifYIng gUNS THat the AuStrIanS have. frederIC RealIzEs tHat Italians will nOt Escape IF tHe auSTrIans ATtack. it RAiNs hEavIlY, and thE bombaRdinG BEgiNs. FrederiC discOvErS thaT moraLe has sevErElY drOPped. not Long afterwarDS, the austro-HunGarIaNs bREak throUgh The itaLian LineS IN The baTtle of CaPORetTo, and the itaLIaNS rEtreat. THE housES arE evacUated. wOmeN AnD cHilDrEn arE Loaded in TrUcks. at the vilLa, fredeRic DIsCOVers tHAt riNAldI Has taken Off fOr The HosPITAl; evEryonE elSE has evACuaTed too. tHerE is considErable dELay And chaos on the roaD duRing the retReAt, AnD FRederIC, wishinG to avOId A posSIBlE aErial atTacK wHile STuck On tHE MaiN retReAt route, decIDEs to take An alTernatE PAth. hE AnD HIS Men qUiCkly get lost, and tHeir CarS Are stUck in THe MUd, fredeRIC orders thE two engineeRinG SerGEantS ridinG with boNELlO To help. afraid Of beiNG oVertakEN BY tHE enEmy, theY refUSe AND tRy TO leAve. FredeRic Draws HIs gUn and ShoOTs oNe of thEm; tHe oThER escapeS. oNE of tHE DriverS, aYmo, iS lAtEr KIlled, While another, boNelLO, runs AwAY to SurrenDer tO thE aUsTrians. fRedErIc anD hIs laSt comPaNion, piaNI, cAtCH uP to THe MaiN ReTReat acRoss The tAgliAmento River. as soOn AS thEY CROsS tHe briDGE, frederic Is Taken By tHE mILItARy pOlice to a pLAce oN The RIVER Bank wherE ofFicErS arE beINg inteRROgaTeD and eXeCUted for thE "tReAChery" THat suPpoSedly lED to ThE itAlian deFeat. FreDeriC escApES by jUMPing Into the riVeR. Afterwards, he walks ThrougH the plaInS and juMps AboaRd A moviNg TRain to milaN to Find catherine.