7 - 1914–1918: Self-Destruction

Summary

The Monarchy self-destructed because it could not decide what its future was to be: a refuge for the small nations of Central Europe, or a subordinate part of a greater German Empire—but this was a false choice brought on by the decision for war. Franz Joseph went to war to preserve dynastic status and his patrimony, which war destroyed. The start of the war was catastrophic. The Monarchy did better in 1915 and 1916, but at the cost of military subordination to Germany. On the home front, a very harsh military dictatorship severely alienated large sectors of the populace. The material situation became desperate, due to severely reduced food resources, large population flows, and poor use of infrastructure. The “warfare state” failed to keep its bargain with the populace. Franz Joseph died on 21 November 1916. His successor Karl’s relaxation of the harsh military regime unleashed federalist, centrifugal forces. There was military success in 1917, but the Sixtus Affair in early 1918 resulted in complete subordination to Germany at Spa. The Monarchy ceased being a “European necessity”. It collapsed in October, from military and material exhaustion, with each nationalist group declaring independence, including German Austrians and Hungarians.