What if Czechoslovakia had an economic and defense treaty with Austria

[stubear1012]

When I look at a map of Central Europe in the 1930's, Czechoslovakia is surrounded by countries with claims on Czechoslovakian territory. What if the Czechoslovakian government decided that they need to ally with a neighbor. Of their neighbors, Austria is the weakest and may also be looking for an ally.

What would have happened if the Czechoslovakian and Austrian government decided that they both could survive longer if they had an economic and defense treaty. Would a stronger Czechoslovakia and Austria have been able to survive as independent countries?

 

[Deleted member 1487]

When I look at a map of Central Europe in the 1930's, Czechoslovakia is surrounded by countries with claims on Czechoslovakian territory. What if the Czechoslovakian government decided that they need to ally with a neighbor. Of their neighbors, Austria is the weakest and may also be looking for an ally.

What would have happened if the Czechoslovakian and Austrian government decided that they both could survive longer if they had an economic and defense treaty. Would a stronger Czechoslovakia and Austria have been able to survive as independent countries?

The Czechs and Austrians have a ton of bad blood over the Habsburg years and the Czechs getting the Sudetenland. Plus Italy was Austria's benefactor for a while, but things changed pretty rapidly and despite that the Austrians and Czechs still did not get on. I can't see either one being interested in being allies considering their entire recent history that remained unresolved and bitter.

 

[raharris1973]

Like Wiking, I don't see a bilateral initiative as plausible. However, I could see both becoming de facto allies if Italy chooses them both as junior partners.

 

[Michele]

When I look at a map of Central Europe in the 1930's, Czechoslovakia is surrounded by countries with claims on Czechoslovakian territory.

The Sudetenland that was annexed by Nazi Germany? In 1918, those territories belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and were briefly claimed by German Austria, which then became Austria. IOW, Austria was no friend of Czechoslovakia, just like every other neighbor.

 

[Michele]

Like Wiking, I don't see a bilateral initiative as plausible. However, I could see both becoming de facto allies if Italy chooses them both as junior partners.

Well, that might be an idea. Makes me think of that friendly pair of German allies, Hungary and Romania. If that situation could come to exist in OTL, then this one might also do. However, the Germans could show their two a big stick and some carrot; I don't know if Italy also can to these other two.

 

[stubear1012]

Thank you for the feedback. I have a better understanding now.

 

[David T]

Like Wiking, I don't see a bilateral initiative as plausible. However, I could see both becoming de facto allies if Italy chooses them both as junior partners.

My immediate thought was that this is unlikely given Italy's OTL support of Hungarian irredentism and hostility to the Little Entente. But there were signs that the Stresa Front (if it could have lasted, which IMO is unlikely) could change that:

"Neither the French nor the Italians wished to make Stresa too pointedly anti-German—hopes for a rapprochement with Berlin restrained Laval's interest in an alliance with Rome—but wanted to approach the German problem from a position of strength. Still, already after Laval's January visit to Rome, the Italian high command had begun to press Paris for the conclusion of a military convention. After Stresa an air agreement was negotiated, and in late June talks between Gamelin and Marshal Pietro Badoglio established the foundations for military cooperation in wartime. Notably, a French expeditionary force in Italy would act as a liaison with Yugoslav and Czechoslovak armies, and some Italian air squadrons might be based in Czechoslovakia. General Gamelin kept the chiefs of staff of the Little Entente informed, and reported that Benes and General Syrovy attached particular importance to the presence of a French corps operating on the right flank of the Italian army. Such an arrangement would promise the quickest assistance to Czechoslovakia.

"Although worried by the possibility of Hungarian and Bulgarian rearmament, Benes and Krofta viewed Stresa as indicative of a definite and welcome change of Italian policy toward France and the Danubian region. In Benes's thinking the necessary sequel to Stresa was a speedy conclusion of accords with Russia, which would result in the emergence of a "great security bloc." By contrast, Beck, irritated that Poland had not been associated with the conference, viewed Stresa as an attempt to return to a great powers consortium. He was also skeptical about the alleged solidarity of the three, for "each of the powers only thinks how to reach a separate accord with Germany." The immediate future showed that his estimate was more realistic than that of Benes..."
https://books.google.com/books?id=zwgABAAAQBAJ&pg=PA394