Lyla Lindsey
Austria-Hungary, also known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was a major European power and a force to be reckoned with in the years leading up to World War I. It was a multi-national constitutional monarchy that came into existence in 1867 after the Austro-Prussian War and wars of independence by Hungary against Habsburg rule. The last war that Austria-Hungary was involved in before World War I was the Serbian Campaign, which lasted from 1914 to 1915, with German and Bulgarian forces supporting Austria-Hungary. This campaign ended with the defeat and occupation of Serbia, which remained under the control of the Central Powers for the duration of World War I.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 28 July 1914 |
| Opponent | Serbia |
| Reason | Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand |
| Outcome | Led to World War I |
| Performance | Austria-Hungary had one of the least developed and prepared armies in Europe |
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What You'll Learn
Austria-Hungary's invasion of Serbia
Austria-Hungary, threatened by Serbian ambition in the Balkans, responded to the assassination with a list of ten demands, called the July Ultimatum, which they expected Serbia would not accept. When Serbia accepted nine of the ten demands, Austria-Hungary declared war. Over the course of July and August 1914, these events caused the start of World War I, as Russia mobilized in support of Serbia, setting off a series of counter-mobilizations.
The campaign, dubbed a "punitive expedition" by the Austro-Hungarian leadership, was commanded by Austrian General Oskar Potiorek. By 12 August, Austria-Hungary had amassed over 500,000 soldiers on the Serbian frontiers, including 380,000 operational troops. However, the invasion attempts were unsuccessful, and the Austro-Hungarian forces were defeated by the Serbians and their Montenegrin allies. The victory of the Royal Serbian Army at the Battle of Cer is considered the first Allied victory of World War I.
The Austro-Hungarian forces eventually succeeded in invading Serbia in 1915, with the help of Bulgarian and German forces, who attacked from three sides. The invasion resulted in severe casualties, with original Serb sources claiming that Serbia lost more than 1,200,000 inhabitants during the war, including both military and civilian losses. The armistice between the Allies and Austria-Hungary was signed on 3 November 1918, and Austria-Hungary was required to evacuate all occupied territories.
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The July Ultimatum
The ultimatum was presented to the Serbian government by the Austro-Hungarian Minister in Belgrade, Wladimir Giesl, on 23 July 1914. It included a requirement for the Serbs to respond in agreement within 48 hours. The demands included that Serbia officially condemn the subversive movement within its borders, accept the annexation of Bosnia, and issue an official apology in the Serbian press.
Serbia accepted nine of the ten demands and partially accepted the remaining one, which related to an Austrian-led inquiry into the assassination. However, Austria-Hungary was not satisfied with Serbia's response and declared war on 28 July 1914. This marked the beginning of World War I, as Russia mobilized in support of Serbia, leading to a series of counter-mobilizations and declarations of war across Europe.
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The Austro-Hungarian Compromise
The Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy had two capitals, Vienna and Budapest, and each half of the empire had its own constitution, government, and parliament. The citizens on each half were treated as foreigners in the other half. The two halves were united by their common army and foreign policy, with the monarch personifying the unity of the empire. The Austrian half of the empire, or 'Cisleithania', consisted of seventeen historical crown lands and was a multinational state. The Hungarian half, or 'Transleithania', was dominated by the Kingdom of Hungary, with the Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia, and the free city of Rijeka/Fiume. While Hungary was a multi-ethnic structure, non-Magyar ethnic groups had the status of minorities.
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The Italian Offensives
The last war involving Austria-Hungary before World War One was World War One itself, which began with an Austro-Hungarian declaration of war on Serbia on 28 July 1914.
Italy initially remained neutral at the outbreak of World War One, despite its alliance with Austria-Hungary as part of the Triple Alliance. However, a strong sentiment existed within Italy to go to war against Austria-Hungary, its historical enemy. Italy's goal was to annex territory along the frontier between the two countries, which would "liberate" Italian-speaking populations from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
In the pre-war years, Italy began to align itself more closely with the Entente powers, and on 26 April 1915, it negotiated the secret Pact of London. In this pact, Great Britain and France promised to support Italy's annexation of the frontier lands in return for Italy entering the war on the side of the Entente. On 23 May 1915, Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary.
The Italian commander, General Luigi Cadorna, decided to focus his efforts on an offensive eastward from the province of Venetia across the lower valley of the Isonzo (Soča) River. The Italian offensive aimed to cross the Soča (Isonzo) River, take the fortress town of Gorizia, and then enter the Karst Plateau. This offensive opened the first Battles of the Isonzo.
The First Battle of the Isonzo began on 23 June 1915, with Italian forces outnumbering the Austrians three to one. However, they failed to penetrate the strong Austro-Hungarian defensive lines in the highlands of northwestern Gorizia and Gradisca. The Italians conducted difficult offensives while climbing, as the Austrian forces occupied the higher ground.
The Italians attempted another frontal assault during the Second Battle of the Isonzo on 18 July 1915, with more artillery. In the northern section of the front, the Italians managed to overrun Mount Batognica over Kobarid (Caporetto), which would prove to have important strategic value in future battles. This bloody offensive ended in a stalemate when both sides ran out of ammunition.
The Italians launched the Third Battle of the Isonzo on 18 October 1915, but Austro-Hungarian forces repulsed this offensive, which concluded on 4 November without any gains. The Italians launched another offensive on 10 November, the Fourth Battle of the Isonzo. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, but the Italians conquered important entrenchments. The battle ended on 2 December due to the exhaustion of armaments, but occasional skirmishing persisted.
After the winter lull, the Italians launched the Fifth Battle of the Isonzo on 9 March 1916, capturing the strategic Mount Sabatino. However, Austria-Hungary repulsed all other attacks, and the battle ended on 16 March due to poor weather conditions for trench warfare. The Italians then launched the Sixth Battle of the Isonzo in August 1916, which resulted in greater success than previous attacks, and they captured Gorizia.
In 1917, the Italians conducted the campaign against Austria-Hungary in 1917-18, which included the Second Isonzo Offensive. By 1918, the Austro-Hungarian armed forces had lost all ability to act independently of Germany. The Italians launched their timely offensive on 24 October 1918. This culminated in the collapse of the Italian front and the armistice of Villa Giusti on 3 November 1918.
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The Armistice of Villa Giusti
The agreement stipulated that Austria-Hungary's forces were to evacuate all territories occupied since August 1914, including South Tirol, Tarvisio, the Isonzo Valley, Gorizia, Trieste, Istria, western Carniola, and part of Dalmatia. Additionally, all German forces were to be expelled from Austria-Hungary within 15 days or interned, and the Allies were granted unrestricted use of the country's internal communications. The Allies also took possession of most of Austria-Hungary's warships and were allowed to transit their armies through the country to reach Germany from the south.
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Frequently asked questions
The last war with Austria-Hungary before World War One was the Austro-Prussian War of 1866.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire was a major European power and a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed by two sovereign states, Austria and Hungary, ruled by a single monarch.
Austria-Hungary was one of the Central Powers during World War One, along with Germany and the Ottoman Empire. It fought against the Entente Powers, which included Russia, Serbia, France, and the United Kingdom.
