Radetsky's Lessons From the Smoking Riots

Radetsky issued his men extra brandy rations to ensure that cooler heads would not prevail. On January the third, a fed up Italian knocked a cigar out of the mouth of one of these provocative Austrian smokers. In response, the Austrian and his comrades beat up the Italian and some of his friends. That triggered a response from other Italians and Suda mob surrounded those soldiers and they got beaten up. Six lay dead and another 50 plus were wounded before order was restored.