Chapter 449: The Sorrow of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
Nivelle’s so-called spring offensive is already very large in scale. France's outstanding troops alone amount to hundreds of thousands, including the British Expeditionary Force, the Balkan Allied Forces and the Italian Army. The total number of troops dispatched by the Allied Powers will be more than 3 million.
You know, this was just after the Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the Somme. Britain, France, and Germany had already suffered a large number of casualties. Being able to dispatch an army of this size for a new round of battle was already the result of the efforts of the entire Allied Powers. .
It can be said that apart from Russia, which was in a defensive posture, the five Allied powers, Britain, France, Australia and Italy all dispatched considerable armies to participate in this battle.
Because of this, various countries attach great importance to this upcoming battle and even regard it as an opportunity to resolve this war.
Currently, various countries are urgently transporting supplies and ammunition to the front line, and are waiting for a real all-out attack in a few months.
Because of the emphasis on this battle, countries are very efficient in transporting resources. Even Australasia is frantically using transport ships and airships to transport supplies to the Balkans.
At present, the Australasian Expeditionary Force has accumulated two million rounds of artillery shells. These artillery shells will become a weapon in attacking fortresses and destroy the defenses of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Germany.
For the Allies, life in the Austro-Hungarian Empire is currently very difficult. Even because the old emperor Franz I had just passed away not long ago, the domestic government that had relatively firmly supported the war gradually split into two factions. One faction firmly supported the continuation of the war, while the other believed that the Austro-Hungarian Empire needed more. time, peace is far more important than war.
Karl I obviously did not have the prestige of the old emperor, but as the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and King of Bosnia, Karl I did not have much say in the imperial government or the government of the Kingdom of Hungary.
In addition, Karl I's long-standing character and peace-loving ideas were disliked by many militant factions, and his presence in the government was even lower.
If the old emperor had not left enough prestige in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, I am afraid that the dispute in the Austro-Hungarian Empire now is not about war and peace, but about monarchy or republic.
For the Austro-Hungarian Empire, although last year's war between the British and French coalition forces and Germany basically did not involve itself, the offensive of the Italian and Balkan coalition forces on the southern border was real.
Although the combat effectiveness of the Italian army is not strong, Italy's equipment is not weak. Coupled with the Balkan coalition led by the Australasian army with better equipment and combat effectiveness, the Austro-Hungarian Empire has been struggling to cope, and even quickly lost a large amount of land, including Sarajevo.
Fortunately, the main direction of attack of the Balkan front coalition forces is the Bosnia region. Otherwise, the Royal Hungarian government, which is worried about the fall of Hungary, may have to urge the imperial government to speed up the peace talks.
No one can guarantee whether the enemy's army will plunder in their own area. If the Hungarian region is really at risk of being captured, the Royal Hungarian government will definitely surrender quickly.
Although the Balkan front coalition chose to attack Bosnia as the main force, the Hungarian region did not have to worry about the danger of being captured for the time being.
But the problem is that Bosnia and Trieste are the only sea ports of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. If Bosnia falls, it also means that all the sea ports of the Austro-Hungarian Empire will soon fall.
If there is no outlet to the sea, the navy will either be captured or have to fight to the death with the enemy.
Once the Austro-Hungarian Empire lost its outlet to the sea, it also meant that the Italian army would merge with the Balkan front coalition forces.
This was a fatal blow to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Not only the Hungarian region, but also the Austrian region was likely to fall.
With the successive defeats of the Austro-Hungarian Empire on the southern front, the shortcomings of the previous suppressive policy adopted by the Austro-Hungarian Empire in Yugoslavia were gradually revealed.
Under the call of Serbia, a large number of Serbian Bosnians took up their spears and joined the resistance against the Austro-Hungarian Empire, quickly increasing the strength of the Balkan front.
Even in areas that have not been visited by the Balkan coalition forces, there have been many Yugoslav uprisings against the tyranny of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Especially after the death of the old emperor Franz I, these people did not have a high impression of the new emperor Karl I.
The only option for the Austro-Hungarian Empire at present is to turn to its powerful ally, the German Empire.
It is worth mentioning that not long after Karl I took the throne, he dismissed Konrad, Chief of the General Staff of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
In fact, Conrad's various campaign decisions since the outbreak of the war are still very good, but his attitude of just doing what he wants is not popular with Karl I.
The last monarch of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, who will be famous in later generations, did not hesitate to completely destroy the last hope of saving the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Chief of Staff Conrad's ability is still very good. In history, he has repeatedly attacked Italian attacks, allowing the Austro-Hungarian Empire to linger for more time.
Some historians and military strategists even believe that he was a very good strategic genius, but was limited by the weak military strength of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Of course, these discussions are now moot. Chief of the General Staff Konrad was demoted to Commander-in-Chief of the Trentino Front and removed from the highest echelons of the Austro-Hungarian military.
In the Royal Palace in Vienna, King Karl I was looking at the battle report in his hand with a panic look on his face. The battle report pointed out that both the Italian and Balkan coalition forces were mobilizing frequently, and a large-scale battle was expected to be launched in a short period of time, and the staff was requested to prepare in advance.
If it were just the Italian attack, the Austro-Hungarian Empire would be able to withstand it.
If there is also an attack by the Balkan coalition, especially the Australasian army, at least a sufficient number of German troops will be needed to defend against their attack.
But the problem was that the Germans sent only one army group to support the Austro-Hungarian Empire, because two armies were drawn from the previous Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the Somme.
At present, there are only three armies left in this group army, with a total number of only about 150,000 people.
The Balkan front currently has a total of 800,000 combat troops, plus more than 500,000 Italian troops, which adds up to 1.3 million combat troops.
At present, the total army of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is only about 1.5 million, with 400,000 and 200,000 being restrained by Russia and Romania respectively. Coupled with the defense forces in other areas, the actual number of troops that can be used does not exceed 800,000.
Even if the German army is included, the total number of troops that the Austro-Hungarian Empire can mobilize will not exceed 1 million, and it still lacks corresponding weapons, equipment and supplies.
"Your Excellency, Chief of Staff, is there any good way to solve the dilemma we are about to face now?" Karl I looked at the new Chief of Staff of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Walder Staten, hoping that the general he had just promoted would Can have good opinions.
"Your Majesty, we can mobilize less than 800,000 troops. It is difficult to defend the Italian and Balkan front attacks by our own strength. In addition, the frontline army currently lacks supplies. Due to frequent defeats, the morale of the army is shattered. It is difficult to defend the attack on the Italian and Balkan fronts. Achieve better results in defensive warfare." said the Austro-Hungarian Chief of Staff Walder Staden.
I know that the Austro-Hungarian Empire was a country composed of many ethnic groups, and the proportion of the population of any ethnic group was dominant. This also resulted in the diverse nationalities that made up the Austro-Hungarian army, including Germans, Hungarians, Bohemians, Italians and Yugoslavs.
Most of the small number of elite troops are composed of Germans, and the combat capabilities of these troops are at the first-class level.
However, a considerable part of the army is composed of chaotic multi-ethnic groups, and communication between them is a problem. The commander's military orders cannot be better conveyed in the army.
As the Austro-Hungarian Empire suffered defeats again and again, it was difficult to ensure that soldiers from other ethnic groups would remain loyal to the royal family and the empire.
The Bosnians and Italians, in particular, would obviously be more loyal to Serbia and Italy than to the Austro-Hungarian Empire which was encroaching on their territory.
Although the Austro-Hungarian Empire could mobilize as many as 800,000 troops, the number of troops that could truly be trusted would never exceed 500,000.
If the armies composed of Bosnians are allowed to exchange fire with the troops on the Balkan front, I am afraid that the surrender of these Bosnians will be unstoppable.
Therefore, the first thing the Austro-Hungarian Empire had to do was how to avoid direct confrontation between the armies of these ethnic minorities and their enemies.
"Your Majesty, I suggest that we carry out a certain scale of defense transfer with the southern German army. If we can carry out a defense transfer of at least 15 to 20 divisions with the German army, the problems I face will be alleviated to a certain extent." Waldsteden suggested .
Letting the Germans fight against the Balkan front troops and Italians is definitely more reliable than the Austro-Hungarian army fighting against these people.
Firstly, the multi-ethnic chaos within the Austro-Hungarian army was already a serious problem. Secondly, the combat capabilities of the Austro-Hungarian soldiers were far inferior to those of Germany.
But precisely because of this, Karl I had some worries: "Chief of Staff, will the Germans really agree to our request? You know, there is still a big gap between the combat effectiveness of our army and the German army. In this way It will do no good to the Germans."
"They will, Your Majesty." Waldersteden said firmly: "If the Germans don't want to see us withdraw from the war because of defeat, they must accept our demands. We are not only fighting for ourselves, but also for the entire Allies."
Austria-Hungary is currently Germany's only ally and the only member of the Allies besides Germany.
If Austria-Hungary withdraws from the war, it will not be as simple as Germany fighting alone.
First of all, there is only one great power in the Central Powers, which is five times the number of the five great powers in the Entente.
Secondly, even powerful countries like Austria-Hungary could not withstand the attack of the Allies. Which other country would help Germany?
As long as Austria-Hungary surrendered, in the eyes of other countries, it was only a matter of time before Germany surrendered.
As a staunch ally of Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire has long been bound to Germany in terms of interests.
The surrender of the Austro-Hungarian Empire would cause a severe blow to Germany at home and abroad. This is something the Germans absolutely do not want to see, and they will not sit still and wait for death.
Hearing what Waldstaten said, King Karl I nodded with relief, and then asked solemnly: "Your Majesty, Chief of General Staff, please tell me truthfully, what are our chances of winning this war? How big is it?"
"Your Majesty, I dare not lie to you. At present, the probability of the Allies winning is less than 30%, and it will only happen if Britain and France make major strategic mistakes. In addition, if the United States If you can strongly support me, and at the same time find a way to withdraw Russia from the war, and instigate one of Italy and Australasia to rebel, it may be possible to achieve a positive victory in this war." Waldsteden thought carefully for a while, and then smiled bitterly. Answered generally.
The Allied Powers were cut off from their overseas supply lines by the Allied Powers, which was equivalent to the Allied Powers taking the lifeblood of the Allied Powers.
Unless the Allies could end the war within a short period of time, the hope of final victory in this war was slim.
Karl I nodded as if this was indeed the case, and finally asked: "What if it's just us? I mean, excluding the Germans, how likely is it that we will achieve partial victory and end this war? "
If we don't rely on the Germans, Your Majesty, our probability of victory will not exceed 10%. It would be easier if we only rely on the Italians. We are also facing the attack of the Australasian army, and those damn... The Balkan coalition forces, as well as the Russian army that is holding us back. We cannot defeat them on our own, and it is impossible to achieve peace alone on the premise of victory," Waldersteden continued.
"So, is it almost inevitable that we will lose this war?" Karl I breathed a sigh of relief as if relieved, and said involuntarily: "Continuing the war means losing, and we may have to face the possibility of being vassalized by the Germans after the war. Risk. You know, we are now fully dependent on the Germans. Without the Germans, we can't do anything. So is it still necessary to continue this war? Even if we win in the end, we will not be the ones to achieve the fruits. ."
Hearing Karl I's rebellious remarks, Waldstaten's expression changed and he quickly said: "Your Majesty, you'd better not say these words easily, as you may be easily used or even impeached by those damn guys in the government." If it were the old emperor
. Franz I, even if he directly insulted the government, he did not have to worry about the government's impeachment.
After all, the old emperor had enough prestige in the empire, and his status could not be shaken easily.
But Karl I was different. As the emperor who had just ascended the throne for more than two months, Karl I had no close confidants in the government, and the military had only just supported Walder Staden, who was loyal to him, as the new chief of the imperial general staff.
Under the premise that the military has not yet fully loyal to itself and the government has not fully recognized itself, if such anti-war and opposition to government policies are frequently mentioned, it is very likely that Karl I will suffer a great loss in the government's prestige, and may even be directly dismissed. The government people are arrogant.
As for Walder Staden, who was single-handedly promoted by Karl I, he obviously did not want to see his back legs lose power.
"Don't worry, Mr. Chief of Staff, I'm just talking. If possible, who doesn't want to see the empire win?" Karl I smiled and patted Waldstadden on the shoulder, pausing this question. A very taboo topic for de Steiden.
Although Karl I was a pacifist, at least his mind was not confused to an extreme.
Although this Allied attack put the Austro-Hungarian Empire in crisis, it was also an opportunity for the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
If the Germans can be used to win this war and stabilize the southern border, the Austro-Hungarian Empire will have enough confidence to negotiate with the Allies and strive to exchange for peace with little loss.
For the current Austro-Hungarian Empire, it is definitely more cost-effective to withdraw from this war at a smaller cost than to continue the war.
If the war was not ended soon, Karl I even believed that sooner or later the people in the country would overthrow the government and overthrow him, the emperor who had just ascended the throne.
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(End of chapter)