French 3rd Colonial Division in F14

[Dog Soldier]

The AH empire fought the Italians to a standstill after some eleven Italian offensives, so I guess you could call that a victory of sorts. A decision on the Italian front was not reached until Capporetto which was with German assistance.

WW1 was a culmination of many strong nationalistic forces in Europe at the turn of the century. The AH empire was a patchwork of many nationalities causing the empire to be on the wrong side of the trend so to speak. Such nationalistic forces were too strong for the AH empire to resist. And they were not the only monarchy to be swept away in WW1, so I can not say they any worse than the others.

Dog Soldier

[jonnymacbrown]

You could say they were a military protectorate of Imperial Germany. I think there were internal forces in Germany promoting an Anschluss even then, with the Kaiser to be proclaimed Emperor based upon some obscure claim, and the Hapsburgs deposed. Not being defeated by the Italians was a victory but the Austrians could never hope for a separate peace on account of a German invasion, the threat of which was very real as I recall. jonny:conf:

[Dog Soldier]

I think that is correct in theory. However, the Kaiser did not have the excess troops to make such a move nor did the AH empire have troops to oppose a German move. So both allies just had a rocky relationship.

In any case a separate peace by the AH Empire could not be negotiated with the Entente Powers allowing the monarchy to stay in power making such an idea moot.

Dog Soldier

[jonnymacbrown]

"In any case a separate peace by the AH Empire could not be negotiated with the Entente Powers allowing the monarchy to stay in power making such an idea moot."

As I recall, the new Emperor Karl wanted peace and negotiations began in 1917 in secret. The Allies were open to it then, but when the Germans got wind of it, negotiations had to be broken off. The Austrians were afraid of German invasion. jonny :cheeky: