Lexi Webster
Austria has been involved in several wars, including World War I, World War II, the Thirty Years' War, the First and Second Silesian Wars, the War of the Austrian Succession, the Napoleonic Wars, and the Austro-Turkish War. In the First World War, Austria-Hungary, with German encouragement, declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. This declaration, coupled with a series of political, diplomatic, and military decisions by European leaders, sparked a global conflict. Germany, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire joined Austria-Hungary, forming the Central Powers. Italy, despite its alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary, did not join the war initially due to the defensive nature of their pact.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country that joined Austria in the war | Germany |
| When did the country join Austria in the war? | 1938, after the Anschluss |
| What was the population of the country that joined Austria? | 700,000 people or 10% of the population joined the Nazi Party |
| How many people from the country that joined Austria were drafted into the Wehrmacht? | More than 1.3 million between 1938 and 1945 |
| What was the name of the war? | World War II |
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What You'll Learn
Austria-Hungary and Germany's alliance
The alliance was also driven by a common distrust of Russia, whose influence in the Balkans outraged Austria-Hungary. This was due to the Treaty of San Stefano, which gave Russia considerable influence in the region following its victory over the Ottoman Empire in the Russo-Turkish War. Despite this, Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Germany were allied in the League of the Three Emperors.
In May 1882, Italy joined the alliance, forming the Triple Alliance. Italy sought support against France, with which it had colonial rivalries in North Africa. The Triple Alliance was a defensive pact, with each member promising mutual support in the event of an attack by any other great power. The treaty provided that Germany and Austria-Hungary would assist Italy if attacked by France and vice versa. In the event of a war between Austria-Hungary and Russia, Italy promised to remain neutral.
The Triple Alliance was renewed periodically until it expired in 1915 during World War I. However, Italy did not immediately join its allies in World War I, instead remaining neutral. In 1915, Italy joined the Entente powers and declared war on Austria-Hungary, and in 1916, against Germany.
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World War I begins
The First World War began in 1914, sparked by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife on 28 June 1914. This assassination was carried out by a Serbian-backed terrorist, and it set off a chain of events that led to a global war.
Austria-Hungary, with the encouragement of Germany, declared war on Serbia on 28 July 1914. This declaration brought Russia into the conflict as they supported Serbia. Germany then declared war on Russia on 1 August and France on 3 August, as France was an ally of Russia.
Germany's violation of Belgian neutrality and Britain's fear of German domination in Europe led to Britain and its empire joining the war on 4 August. Within a matter of weeks, Europe's largest powers were primed for war, with many countries joining either side due to their alliances with other powers. The decisions for war were influenced by growing nationalism, increased militarism, imperial rivalry, and competition for power and influence.
The world had been inching towards this global conflict for some time, with Europe divided into two rival alliance systems by 1914. German unification in 1871 altered the balance of power, and when Germany formed an alliance with Austria-Hungary in 1879, it further strengthened this power bloc. Russia and France formed an alliance in response in 1893, and Germany's ambitions to build a battle fleet initiated a naval arms race with Britain, straining their relations.
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Austria's role in World War II
Austria played a complex and multifaceted role in World War II. On the one hand, it was the first country to be annexed by Nazi Germany, becoming an integral part of the Third Reich. On the other hand, there was also a small but significant resistance movement within Austria, and many Austrians fought as Allied soldiers against the German army.
In 1938, Germany annexed Austria with the enthusiastic support of most of the Austrian population. This annexation, known as the Anschluss, made Austria a part of Nazi Germany. The Nazis' racist ideology found support among Austrians, with anti-Semitic pogroms and the degradation of the Austrian Jewish community occurring as early as 1938. By the time World War II began in 1939, more than 100,000 Jews—roughly half of all Austrian Jews—had fled the country.
During World War II, approximately 950,000 Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces, and many others participated in the Nazi administration, including death camp personnel and senior Nazi leadership. Austrians also served in the Wehrmacht, with more than 1.3 million drafted between 1938 and 1945. However, it's important to note that not all Austrians supported the Nazis. While the resistance movement was small, it was active and diverse, consisting of left-wing groups (mostly communists and some socialists) and conservative resisters (mainly Christian Socialists and monarchists). Tens of thousands of Austrians were arrested for political reasons during the war, and about 2,700 were executed.
After World War II, Austria was treated as a defeated Axis power by Moscow, but it avoided some of the harshest consequences faced by Germany. The Western Allies and the Soviet Union jointly occupied the country until 1955, and Austria declared its neutrality, pledging to never join a military alliance or allow foreign troops to be based within its borders.
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Soviet occupation of Austria
Immediately following World War II, Austria was divided into four occupation zones, with the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France each taking control of a zone. Vienna, the capital, was also subdivided among the four Allies, with the central district being collectively administered by the Allied Control Council. The Soviet Union's occupation zone included the provinces of Burgenland, Lower Austria, and the Mühlviertel area of Upper Austria, north of the Danube.
The Soviet occupation of Austria lasted from 1945 to 1955, coinciding with the early years of the Cold War. During this period, the Soviet Union, along with the other occupying powers, agreed to demilitarize, denazify, and democratically reconstruct Austria. Despite being treated as a defeated Axis power by Moscow, Austria was generally viewed as a victim of German aggression and was spared some of the harsher consequences of defeat, such as territorial loss or war reparations.
The Soviet occupation of Austria was marked by several significant events and policies. In April 1945, the Soviet military leadership issued a directive to its troops on the front lines, emphasizing the distinction between German occupiers and Austrian civilians. The directive instructed soldiers to be merciless towards German enslavers while respecting Austrian traditions, families, and private property. The Battle of Vienna resulted in significant losses for the Red Army, with 17,000 lives lost. Unfortunately, the Soviet troops engaged in systematic sexual violence against Austrian women during the early days and weeks following the battle.
The Soviet Union also exerted influence over Austrian politics during the occupation. Karl Renner, an Austrian socialist politician, served as the provisional prime minister of the first post-Nazi government, which was appointed by Joseph Stalin. Renner's attempts to establish a national government were not recognized by the Western Allies, but he was allowed to extend his influence into their zones. To counter Communist influence, Renner appointed Karl Gruber, a vocal anti-communist, as Foreign Minister.
The Soviet occupation of Austria ended in 1955, with the signing of the Austrian State Treaty in Vienna. On May 15, 1955, Austria was granted full independence, and the last occupation troops departed on October 25 of that year. Austria subsequently declared its neutrality, pledging to never join a military alliance or allow foreign troops to be based within its territory.
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Austria's liberation and independence
During the war, more than 1.3 million Austrians were drafted by the Wehrmacht, and many Austrians served loyally as soldiers, committing atrocities on the Eastern Front. Despite this, the Allies agreed in the 1943 Declaration of Moscow that Austria would be regarded as the first victim of Nazi aggression, and treated as a liberated and independent country after the war.
In April 1945, the Soviet commander Fyodor Tolbukhin's troops crossed the former Austrian border, and the Red Army entered Austria with the stated intention of liberating it and annihilating the German Army. The Red Army lost 17,000 lives in the Battle of Vienna. On April 27, 1945, Austria was declared independent from Nazi Germany, and a provisional government was formed, declaring the intention to create a democratic state.
After the war, Austria remained under the joint occupation of the Western Allies and the Soviet Union until 1955. During this time, the country was gradually emancipated from foreign control, with the first allied talks on Austrian independence taking place in January 1947. On May 15, 1955, Austria was accorded full independence, and the last occupation troops left on October 25 that year. Austria then enacted a Declaration of Neutrality, stating that it would never join a military alliance or allow foreign troops to be based within its territory.
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Frequently asked questions
Germany, Italy, and Bulgaria joined Austria in World War I.
Austria was considered part of Nazi Germany in World War II.
Russia, France, and Serbia were against Austria in World War I.
Yes, Austria fought against France during the Napoleonic Wars.
