Lesser Austria-Hungary

What if Austria-Hungary had sued for peace very early in the war and survived as a lesser version of itself?

Basically, Austria cedes Bosnia, Dalmatia, Banat, Transylvania, Galicia-Lodomeria, Trentino, Istria, and Bukovina.

Austria retains Austria (post-WW1 borders), Czechia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Tyrol, Hungary (post-Trianon), Zakarpattia, and Croatia-Slavonia.
 
Hungary would never let go of Transylvania willingly. Bosnia is a given, Galicia and some Italian areas as well. Not much else, surely not Transylvania. Dalmatia is also unlikely. Either all of Croatia goes or none of it.
 
You need a brain transplant for the entire Austrian leaderships, even Charles I in his last attempt of peace refuse absolutely to give up Trentino or piece of Romania, in reality refused to give up an hinch of Austrian territory. So i don't see how it will be possible without a change of leaderships or epic war reversal.
 
I was just about to post a similar thread however instead of early peace I would them have sue for peace after Brest Litovsk.

For your question: what do you mean by early? When exactly? Before Romanian entry? After armistice/peace with Romania? After Karl's ascension to the throne? To tell the ruth I dont think that before the Brusilov offensive its realistic for Austria to ask for terms without a serious POD.

As for my idea:
AFAIK the western powers only finally decided to destroy Austria in the summer of 1918 - we are before that. At that point Russia is out, Romania has signed armistice and if separate peace (Austria asking for terms might be before the latter) with CP so is out as well.

As I see it Galicia would go to Poland, maybe Bukovina as well. Serbia was partly the instigator of the whole mess and has been beaten so they wont necesserily receive much - maybe no more than Bosnia. Especially if Austria performs good at the negotiations. Italian claims would be satisfied more than OTL which most likely alienates the Croatians. At that point a czech revolution seems unavoidable. If the army demobilizes swiftly - and takes the weapons from the most problematic people would go a long way of lessening the threat. Also with peace food can once again be imported which is a very important factor. After that what remains to be seen is if the situation in Bohemia can be gotten under control - with the help of the remainder of the army of course. A reorganisation of the whole of the empire is a must at that point however with the aformentioned territories gone what remains is much less diverse. If it survives a few years it might last.

So in the end Austria would survive with the loss of Galicia, Bukovina, Bosnia, South Tirol - less than OTL, just the Trentino, Triest, part of the Küstenland and Dalmatia.
 
I feel that Austria will really want to keep Trieste. It needs a port, after all. They would be in a weaker position than before, and they can't count on Hungary to always be with them. If they decide to go hostile? Yah, might be a problem. The Croatians might also be angry at the loss of Dalmatia, as they even claimed it with their name, the Triune Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia, and Dalmatia. Hungary also supported that idea somewhat, as it would mean more land for their half of the empire.

I have read somewhere that the Austrians were wanting to offer Galicia to the Russians so they could get out of the war, but I do wonder what the timing would be where they would feel the Russians were such a big threat that they needed to give them such a hunk of land.
 
I feel that Austria will really want to keep Trieste. It needs a port, after all. They would be in a weaker position than before, and they can't count on Hungary to always be with them. If they decide to go hostile? Yah, might be a problem. The Croatians might also be angry at the loss of Dalmatia, as they even claimed it with their name, the Triune Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia, and Dalmatia. Hungary also supported that idea somewhat, as it would mean more land for their half of the empire.

I have read somewhere that the Austrians were wanting to offer Galicia to the Russians so they could get out of the war, but I do wonder what the timing would be where they would feel the Russians were such a big threat that they needed to give them such a hunk of land.

Italiy on the winning side wont make peace without Triest. Austria lost the war and is playing for survival while trying to minimize its losses. After Brest Litovsk they only really have to consider the wishes of Italy. Serbia and Poland will receive some territories because the western powers wants so. I know that signing off Dalmatia will alienate the Croatians but Austria can only keep it if the westerners decide for some reason to double cross the Italians. And even than only if Italy doesnt take it by force. Once Austria demobilizes its out of the war. If it doesnt demobilize it leaves the very likely to rebel czechs with weapons. So thats still the better option. And it still retains Fiume as a port.
 
Italiy on the winning side wont make peace without Triest. Austria lost the war and is playing for survival while trying to minimize its losses. After Brest Litovsk they only really have to consider the wishes of Italy. Serbia and Poland will receive some territories because the western powers wants so. I know that signing off Dalmatia will alienate the Croatians but Austria can only keep it if the westerners decide for some reason to double cross the Italians. And even than only if Italy doesnt take it by force. Once Austria demobilizes its out of the war. If it doesnt demobilize it leaves the very likely to rebel czechs with weapons. So thats still the better option. And it still retains Fiume as a port.
Come to think of it actually, Italy didn't enter the war until around the time the Germans started breaking the Russian Army. If Austria is trying to give in early (remember, Austria did not LOSE here, they are just trying to get out, and they occupied almost all their own land st this point) then there is really no reason to give up a lot of that. Heck, they would be giving up land either to a neutral country, or two one that no longer bordered them due to the German advance.

As for Fiume, that was legally a condominium of Hungary and Croatia. If they separated from Austria later, they were fucked. Think of it as though the USSR gave Kalingrad to Lithuania and they later declared independence. They lost a good port, and need to stick to their little bottlenecked area further north.

http://omniatlas.com/maps/europe/19151104/
 
Is Dalmatia goinjg to Italy in this scenario? If so, it might alienate the Croat... or might drive them closer to Vienna in hope of getting it back later.
 
Is Dalmatia goinjg to Italy in this scenario? If so, it might alienate the Croat... or might drive them closer to Vienna in hope of getting it back later.
I say alienate, especially consideringnthey also gave the portions of Bosnia with Croat majorities to Serbia, despite the Austrians having been trouncing them.
 
Come to think of it actually, Italy didn't enter the war until around the time the Germans started breaking the Russian Army. If Austria is trying to give in early (remember, Austria did not LOSE here, they are just trying to get out, and they occupied almost all their own land st this point) then there is really no reason to give up a lot of that. Heck, they would be giving up land either to a neutral country, or two one that no longer bordered them due to the German advance.

As for Fiume, that was legally a condominium of Hungary and Croatia. If they separated from Austria later, they were fucked. Think of it as though the USSR gave Kalingrad to Lithuania and they later declared independence. They lost a good port, and need to stick to their little bottlenecked area further north.

http://omniatlas.com/maps/europe/19151104/

Fiume was legally part of Hungary in 1914. However if the empire is to survive a lost world war a massive reorganisation needs to happen so that point is likely moot. And if Austria chooses its ports on the possibility of Secession than it will never have a port. At least Fiume is not on the wishlist of other GP's.
 
Fiume was legally part of Hungary in 1914. However if the empire is to survive a lost world war a massive reorganisation needs to happen so that point is likely moot. And if Austria chooses its ports on the possibility of Secession than it will never have a port. At least Fiume is not on the wishlist of other GP's.
We need an exact date when this is happening. As the OP said it was very early, we are limited, as by the time Italy entered the war the Russians were being driven back far. And as this is a PEACE settlement, it means not disemblowing the country. I now the OP also basically said that, but at this point in time the Austrians are going to need to be careful, as they have just surrendered to people who were loosing the war that was started in part due to their heir being murdered.
 
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