Austria-Hungary's War Declaration On The Us: Explained

On December 7, 1917, the United States declared war on Austria-Hungary, eight months after declaring war on Germany and officially entering World War I. The declaration of war was enacted by US President Woodrow Wilson and approved unanimously by the Senate, 74-0. This came after Austria-Hungary terminated diplomatic relations with the US and requested American diplomats to leave the country.

The US Senate's unanimous approval of the resolution

On December 7, 1917, the US Senate unanimously approved a resolution declaring war with Austria-Hungary, with a vote of 74-0. This came eight months after the US entered World War I by declaring war on Germany in April 1917. The resolution, officially known as House Joint Resolution 169, stated that a "state of war" existed between the US and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The path to war with Austria-Hungary began with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, in June 1914. This sparked a series of diplomatic crises and alliances that eventually led to World War I. While the US attempted to remain neutral initially, it entered the war in 1917.

In the lead-up to the declaration of war against Austria-Hungary, there were several key events. First, on April 6, 1917, the US declared war against Germany at the request of President Woodrow Wilson. Two days later, Austria-Hungary severed diplomatic ties with the US and asked American diplomats to leave.

Then, on December 4, 1917, President Wilson addressed Congress in his State of the Union Address. He requested a declaration of war against Austria-Hungary, arguing that it was necessary to remove obstacles to success and accusing Austria-Hungary of being a "vassal" of Germany. Wilson's primary motivation for seeking war with Austria-Hungary was the situation in Italy, where American military planners feared that US forces might be needed to bolster Italian defences against Austrian advances.

In response to Wilson's address, Henry D. Flood introduced House Joint Resolution 169, which was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The committee unanimously recommended the adoption of the resolution, citing instances of Austrian aggression, such as a scheme of industrial sabotage and the sinking of an American schooner.

The unanimous approval of the resolution by the US Senate on December 7, 1917, was a significant moment in World War I. It reflected the belief that Austria-Hungary posed a threat to US interests and citizens and that decisive action was necessary. The resolution authorized the President to use the country's military and naval forces to carry out the war and bring it to a successful conclusion.

The US's previous declaration of war against Germany

On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war against Germany, marking its official entry into World War I. This declaration came eight months before the US would declare war on Germany's ally, Austria-Hungary.

The US decision to enter World War I was influenced by a range of factors, including Germany's aggressive naval actions and its attempts to form an alliance with Mexico against American interests. President Woodrow Wilson played a pivotal role in this process. On April 2, 1917, he addressed a joint session of Congress, requesting a declaration of war specifically against the German Empire. Wilson cited Germany's resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, which posed a direct threat to American ships and citizens. He also referenced Germany's violation of the "Sussex Pledge," where they had agreed to refrain from attacking passenger ships.

Additionally, Wilson disclosed the contents of the "Zimmermann Telegram," a secret message intercepted by British intelligence. In this telegram, German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann proposed a deal to the Mexican government. Germany promised to help Mexico regain territory lost to the US following the Mexican-American War in exchange for Mexican support in the war. This revelation heightened concerns about German intentions and their potential impact on US national security.

The US Senate voted in support of the measure to declare war on Germany on April 4, 1917, with the House following suit on April 6. The final vote in the House of Representatives was 373-50 (nine not voting), while the Senate vote was 82-6. This declaration set the stage for the US to actively engage in World War I and shaped the country's role in the broader global conflict.

It is worth noting that the US also declared war on Germany during World War II in 1941, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. This declaration, made on December 11, 1941, was approved unanimously by both houses of Congress.

Austria-Hungary's termination of diplomatic relations with the US

On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. Two days later, on April 8, Austria-Hungary terminated diplomatic relations with the US and requested that American diplomats leave the country. This severance of relations came after US President Woodrow Wilson had stated in a speech to Congress that Austria-Hungary, an ally of Germany, had:

> [N]ot actually engaged in warfare against citizens of the United States on the seas, and I take the liberty, for the present at least, of postponing a discussion of our relations with the government in Vienna.

Eight months later, on December 7, 1917, the US declared war on Austria-Hungary. This declaration came after Wilson had requested it in his State of the Union Address, stating that war was necessary to:

> Clear away with a thorough hand all impediments to success.

He also accused Austria-Hungary of being:

> [T]he vassal of the German government and [...] acting as the instrument of another nation.

However, Wilson's primary motivation for seeking a declaration of war was the situation in Italy. American military planners believed it might soon be necessary to deploy US forces to support Italian defences against robust Austrian gains.

The US's justification for declaring war

On December 7, 1917, the United States Congress approved a resolution declaring war with Austria-Hungary. The resolution, known as House Joint Resolution 169, stated that a "state of war" existed between the US and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This declaration came eight months after the US entered World War I by declaring war on Germany.

US President Woodrow Wilson played a key role in the lead-up to the declaration of war. On April 6, 1917, when declaring war on Germany, Wilson addressed Austria-Hungary, an ally of Germany, stating:

> [Austria-Hungary] has not actually engaged in warfare against citizens of the United States on the seas, and I take the liberty, for the present at least, of postponing a discussion of our relations with the government in Vienna.

Two days later, Austria-Hungary severed diplomatic ties with the US and asked American diplomats to leave the country.

On December 4, 1917, Wilson delivered the 1917 State of the Union Address to Congress, requesting a declaration of war against Austria-Hungary. He justified this request by stating that such a declaration was necessary to "clear away with a thorough hand all impediments to success." Wilson accused Austria-Hungary of being a "vassal" of the German government and acting as an "instrument of another nation." However, Wilson's primary motivation for seeking a declaration of war was the situation in Italy. American military strategists believed that deploying US forces to reinforce Italian defences against Austrian advances might soon become necessary.

In response to Wilson's address, Henry D. Flood introduced House Joint Resolution 169, which was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs for consideration. The committee issued a report concurring with the declaration of war, citing several instances of Austria-Hungary's hostile actions against the US. These included an alleged scheme of industrial sabotage against American manufacturing orchestrated by Konstantin Dumba, the Austro-Hungarian ambassador to the US, and the suspected Austrian sinking of the American schooner SV Marguerite in the Mediterranean in April 1917. The report's allegation regarding the SV Marguerite was later found to be incorrect, as the vessel was actually sunk by a German submarine.

On December 7, 1917, the House of Representatives and the Senate overwhelmingly approved House Joint Resolution 169, with votes of 365-1 and 74-0, respectively. The president signed the declaration later that day, marking the official start of the state of war between the US and Austria-Hungary.

The international reactions to the US's declaration of war

On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany, joining World War I. This declaration was met with a range of international reactions.

Austria-Hungary

Austria-Hungary, an ally of Germany, responded to the US's declaration of war by terminating diplomatic relations with the US. The Austro-Hungarian foreign minister, Count Ottokar Czernin, remarked that the declaration of war "will be bad for Austro-Hungarians in America, but will not influence the results of the war."

Italy

The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera published a staff editorial stating:

> "Austria-Hungary has today a powerful enemy, and this enemy is for us a friend whose friendship must serve in war and peace."

Soviet Russia

In the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, the official Army Journal published a staff editorial that criticised the US's declaration of war:

> "Peace by means of war. This is the mark under which the American imperialists are posing. America declares herself the implacable enemy of Austria-Hungary without any evident reason, without any justifying motives save covetousness and greed. American capitalists talking with hypocrisy about the horrors of war are striving to lengthen the bloody terror."

Other Reactions

While the above sources detail specific responses to the US's declaration of war, it is worth noting that the entry of the US into World War I was a significant event that would have elicited responses from many other countries. However, a detailed exploration of every international reaction is beyond the scope of this answer.

Frequently asked questions