Russia's Invasion Plans: Austria In The Crosshairs?

Russia and Austria have had a long history of complex relations, with both countries invading each other's territories at different times. While there is no record of a full-scale Russian invasion of Austria, the two countries have been allies and enemies at various points in history, and their relations have had significant impacts on the broader European landscape.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Russia and Austria found themselves on the same side in several conflicts, including the War of the Polish Succession, the War of the Austrian Succession, and the Napoleonic Wars. However, their rivalry over influence in the Balkans and competing interests in the Ottoman Empire led to tensions and conflicts, such as the Pig War and the Bosnian Crisis.

In the 20th century, Russia and Austria's relations were marked by World War I, the Bolshevik Revolution, and the Cold War. While Russia supported Serbia after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, leading to its entry into World War I, it later signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Austria in 1918, ending hostilities. During the Cold War, Austria maintained a neutral stance and served as a site for spy exchanges between the East and West.

Russia and Austria's involvement in World War I

Russia and Austria-Hungary's involvement in World War I was significant, with some historians even arguing that it was the ""spark" that ignited the conflict. On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, were assassinated by Bosnian Serbs. This assassination was in response to Austria-Hungary's annexation of a predominantly Slavic province.

Austria-Hungary quickly accused Serbia of plotting and backing the assassination and threatened to invade. Russia, in defence of its Slav brothers, rapidly mobilized its forces, resulting in huge losses and contributing to revolutions at home. This mobilization was a critical decision during the July Crisis, as described by historian Christopher Clark.

On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary officially declared war on Serbia, with Russia issuing an ultimatum to Vienna, warning against attacking Serbia. As the conflict escalated, Russia commenced mobilizing its reserve army along the border of Austria-Hungary. Germany, an ally of Austria-Hungary, demanded that Russia demobilize, and when this did not happen, declared war on Russia on August 1, 1914.

The Eastern Front saw the Central Powers, including Austria-Hungary, with over 2.5 million troops, face a disorganized but much larger force of 4 million Russians. The war on the Eastern Front had cataclysmic results, and by the end of World War I, both the Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires had collapsed.

The Russian invasion of Hungary to suppress revolution and restore Austrian rule

The Russian invasion of Hungary in 1848 was part of a larger effort to suppress the Revolutions of 1848 and restore Austrian rule. The Kingdom of Hungary had been in a personal union with the Austrian Empire since the 12th century, but the two shared a monarch and the Austrian Emperor had significant power in Hungary. In March 1848, a revolution began in Hungary, demanding greater independence from the Austrian monarchy. The Hungarians formed a new government and passed a series of reforms, including greater political representation for all ethnicities, freedom of the press, and the abolition of serfdom.

Initially, the Austrian monarchy acknowledged the new government and its reforms, but tensions soon arose. The Hungarians offered to send troops to fight alongside the Austrians in northern Italy, but the Austrians ordered the Hungarians not to form an army. In September 1848, Josip Jelačić, Ban (Viceroy) of Croatia and Dalmatia, invaded Hungary with Croatian troops to dissolve the Hungarian government. The Hungarians defeated the Croatians, but Austrian troops soon joined the conflict. In April 1849, the Hungarians scored several victories against the Austrians, but the Russians, who had been fighting the Hungarians in Transylvania, joined the conflict. The Hungarian army was overwhelmed and forced to surrender in August 1849.

Over a century later, in 1956, Hungary again rose up against Austrian rule. Following World War II, Hungary was occupied by the Soviet Union and became a socialist state. In 1956, university students in Budapest protested against the Soviet domination of Hungary and called for political and economic reforms. The protests escalated into a countrywide revolution, and the new Hungarian government, led by Imre Nagy, withdrew from the Warsaw Pact and declared Hungarian neutrality. The Soviet Union responded by invading Hungary and crushing the revolution. Thousands were killed, and Nagy was executed for treason in 1958.

The Franco-Austrian War of 1809

The Austrian plan involved three separate armies. One was to invade Italy and recover lost Habsburg possessions. The second was to threaten the Duchy of Warsaw. The third and largest army, under Archduke Charles, was to invade middle or northern Germany from Bohemia and defeat Davout's Army of the Rhine. However, this plan was soon changed to invade Bavaria, with the main army operating south of the Danube.

Napoleon's preparations included strengthening Davout's Army of the Rhine and Eugène's Army of Italy, and ordering Oudinot's corps and d'Espagne's cuirassiers to move to Augsburg. He also sent warning letters to his German allies. Despite these preparations, at the start of 1809, Napoleon's military position in Germany was weak, with scattered armies across the region.

The Austrians began their invasion of Bavaria on 10 April 1809, crossing the River Inn. They advanced slowly and their only significant victory during this time was at Landshut on 16 April. Napoleon reached the front on 17 April and began to reorganise his armies. Despite Napoleon's efforts, the Austrians still had a chance to win a major victory by intercepting and crushing Davout's corps. However, they intercepted a message from Lefebvre to Davout, misinterpreted it, and altered their plan. This allowed Davout to slip past the trap, resulting in the battle of Teugn-Hausen on 19 April.

Over the next few days, Napoleon launched a series of attacks on the Austrians, including the battles of Abensberg on 20 April, Landshut on 21 April, and Eggmühl on 22 April. Despite these defeats, the Austrians were able to escape across the Danube after the battle of Regensburg on 23 April.

Marshal Bessieres pursued Hiller, the leader of the left wing of the Austrian army, who managed to escape with most of his army intact. Bessieres won a victory at Newmarkt on 24 April, after which Hiller retreated back into Austria. Over the next two weeks, Napoleon pursued Hiller, who eventually crossed the Danube and joined the main Austrian army.

Napoleon attempted to cross the Danube on the same day as the surrender of Vienna but failed. He then chose a crossing point east of Vienna, taking advantage of the presence of a large island, the Lobau. Napoleon's first attempt to advance from the Lobau was met with an Austrian attack, resulting in the battle of Aspern-Essling on 21-22 May. The French held their ground on the first day but suffered their first serious battlefield defeat on the second day.

Napoleon responded to this defeat by fortifying the Lobau and calling in reinforcements. He then launched the battle of Wagram on 5-6 July, which was the largest battle of his career. Despite some setbacks, the French ultimately won a clear victory at Wagram, forcing the Austrians to retreat.

The armistice negotiations began several days before the battle of Znaim, with Archduke Charles pressing for an armistice after his defeat at Wagram. The initial armistice terms were harsh and caused discontent in Vienna, leading to Charles's resignation. Formal negotiations took place at Altenburg, resulting in the signing of the Peace of Schönbrunn on 14 October. Austria lost access to the sea, 20% of its population, had to limit its army size, and pay a war indemnity.

The Crimean War and its effect on Russo-Austrian relations

The Crimean War was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom, and Sardinia-Piedmont. The conflict was sparked by a disagreement over the rights of Christian minorities in Palestine, then part of the Ottoman Empire, with the French promoting the rights of Roman Catholics and Russia promoting those of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The war resulted in a victory for the alliance, and the Treaty of Paris, signed on 30 March 1856, ended the war.

During the Crimean War, Austria maintained a policy of hostile neutrality towards Russia. While Austria did not go to war, it was supportive of the Anglo-French coalition. This stance angered Nicholas I of Russia and strained Russo-Austrian relations. As a result of its stance, Austria was diplomatically isolated following the war. Russia stood aside as Austria was evicted from the Italian and German states, and the former ally's neutrality contributed to Austria's defeat in the 1866 Austro-Prussian War and its loss of influence in most German-speaking lands.

The Crimean War marked a turning point for the Russian Empire. The war weakened the Imperial Russian Army, drained the treasury, and undermined Russia's influence in Europe. The empire would take decades to recover, and its educated elites recognised the need for fundamental reforms. The war also catalysed the abolition of serfdom and overhauls in the justice system, local self-government, education, and military service.

In the aftermath of the Crimean War, Russia and Austria continued to have a complex relationship. Austrian officials worried that Russia was adopting a pan-Slavist policy designed to unite all Slavonic-speaking peoples under the Tsar's leadership, leading Austria to pursue an anti-Slavic policy domestically and abroad. The major source of tension between the two empires was the "Eastern Question": what to do about the weakening Ottoman Empire and its rebellious Christian subjects. Despite periods of nominal alliance, tensions persisted, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by Serb nationalists in 1914 ultimately led to the outbreak of World War I.

The Soviet invasion of Austria during World War II

During World War II, Soviet troops entered Austria in April 1945, towards the end of the war. The Soviet Union, along with the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, divided Austria into four occupation zones.

The Soviet occupation of Austria was shaped by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, in which the British, Americans, and Soviets proclaimed that Austria was the first victim of Germany but would also have to pay the price for its participation in Nazi aggression. This meant that Austria would emerge as an independent state after the war.

The Red Army suffered 94,185 casualties in Austria, with 26,006 killed and 68,179 wounded. The Soviets also engaged in systematic sexual violence against women, with an estimated 70,000-100,000 women raped in Vienna alone.

Soviet occupation policies in Austria included the extraction of reparations through requisitions and confiscations. Moscow considered all property with German owners or investors at the end of the war to be German property, and local governments were obliged to feed and clothe the Red Army. The Soviets also arrested and prosecuted thousands of Austrian civilians for various charges, including war crimes, espionage, and weapons possession.

The Soviet Union pulled out of Austria in 1955, along with the Western Allies, in exchange for Austria's promise to remain neutral during the Cold War.

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