Rising of Darkness : What if The Ottoman Empire won the Balkan war
- Thread starter Kaloross
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Bohemia-Moravia
Bohemia-Moravia
The negotiations between the emperor and the king continue. On the next day the king decided to give weapons to the Austrian army. Both of the countries are constitutional monarchies and while the monarchs have absolute power in theory their power was limited in practice. The Westminster system is a ceremonial figurehead who is the theoretical, nominal or de jure source of executive power within the system.This system is quite different from the Austrian system. The ministers of war,the foreign minister and the finance minister ultimately answer only to the monarch, and he had the final decision on matters of foreign and military policy and this means that Franz Ferdiand has more executive power than George That isn't good for the Austrians,because Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon,the Secretary of State for Foreign thinks that the Anglo-Russian Alliance is better for the empire than an alliance with the Austrian empire.Even with the new army law of 1912 and the population of the country,the Austrian army(without the Hungarians)was only 200,000 men,very small compared to the Russian army,which has almost two million men(115 infantry and 38 cavalry divisions),but has outdated equipment and many generals want to reform the army,while the Austrian army is one of the more modern armies in Europe. Neither of the two countries is very aggressive,but Austria's intervention in the Balkan war happened two years ago.The UK,however,(secretly)supported it.Grey was part of the London Conference and he knows that an alliance with Austria will help Britain than analliance with Russia,which didn't agree with the decision of the other Great Powers.He decided that he will strengthen the relations between the two empires.1st June 1914
The Hungarian Képviselőház(House of Representatives)offered Mihály Károlyi to become the 48th King of Hungary(The Austrian rulers aren't recognized as Hungarian kings).The Kàrolyi family is one of the most popular noble families who had played an important role in Hungarian life since the 17th century.He accepted and this created a very big problem in the Hungarian nobility,because Gyula Andrássy the Younger was part of a big noble family,which is as important as the Károlyi family.Some people support Andrássy and others think that Kàrolyi should be the king.None of the dynasties before the Habsburgs have survived and now both of them have a claim to the throne.
Ministers of the Kingdom of Hungary:
- Minister-Regent:Gyula Károlyi
- Minister of Finance:Janos Teleszky(National Party of Work)
- Minister of Agriculture:Imre Ghillány(National Party of Work)-Ban of Croatia in the late nineteenth century.
- Minister of War:Samu Hazai(National Party of Work)-Military officer
- Minister of religion and education:Béla Jankovich(National Party of Work)
- Interior Minister:János Sándor(National Party of Work)
- Foreign Minister:Gyula Andrássy The Younger(In 1912, he represented Austria-Hungary in the diplomatic endeavor to prevent the outbreak of the Balkan War.)
- Minister of Justice:Jenő Balogh
- Minstry of Romanian affairs of Hungary:Iuliu Maniu(Romanian National Party)-One of the only Romanians that support the the federalist solution
The people from Bohemia and Moravia decided that it would be better if they were independent from Austria,because they didn't give them any special rights.On the 15th of June,a few days agter the Battle of Sopron,Bohemia-Moravia is formed.
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Tension in the Balkans
Tension in the Balkans
A few hours after Bohemia-Moravia was created,the Austrian Empire declared war on them.Becuase this is very similar to the 1848 revolutions,the Hungarians the Hungarians use it in their propaganda against the Austrians.The flag for Bohemia-Moravia was chosen after the pan-slavic(red,white,blue)flag was rejected.Bohemia-Moravia is now split two sides vying for power in B-M-The pan-slavists and the nationalists,led by the National Liberal Party,their name was changed to the Bohemo-Moravian party,becuase of their ideology-national liberalism.The B-M party is more popular,because the pan-slavic idea still isn't very influential outsie of Russia party's leader is Alois Rašín,who revived the party after it was almost almost dissolved,because of the party's leaders had died.The pan-slavic side is led by Czech National Social Party,they changed their name to the Bohemian pan-slavic party.The pan-slavic flag was proposed by them and was by the Bohemo-Moravian diet because it doesn't represent the nation.Both nations(Hungary and B-M)are fighting with the Austrians,but none of them wanted to ally the other country,because the Bohemians and the Hungarians don't like each other. Hungary which was the force behind many of the empire's minorities grievances.No one wanted to recognise the other country,but they had a common enemy and even though their governments don't want to help each other the people are in a favor of an alliance.
The Bohemo-Moravian army with one main(general) leadership and two smaller ones stationed in Brno and Prague.The Bohemians and Moravians are the same people and they don't have problems with other ethnicities.Apart from the regular armed force,as with other countries,there are many volunteers from Bohemia-Moravia and some ftom other countries(mainly the Balkans and Russia),but even without the volunteers,they still a have a large army,because the Bohemo-Moravian command wants to conscript as many people as possible.For now the morale is high,as they are fighting against their oppressors(this is what the government says to get more people into the army),but if the war continues,the people might start to rebel.Jan Syrový is the commander of the B-M armed force.He is young,but he has spend some years in the military as a volunteer in the A-H army.
Croatia-Slavonia now has a choice-to join the war Austria's side or on Hungary's side.They can try to stay neutral,but that won't be good when the war ends.Both countries will try to influence the country after the war.The previous ban,Slavko Cuvaj,was appointed when anti-Habsburg sentiments were on the rise in Croatia, often manifesting in sympathies for Serbia and calls for creation of Yugoslavia.Cuvaj tried to curb those trends by series of decrees directed at curbing press freedom, limiting rights of assembly and local autonomy. This created backlash in the form of strikes and demonstrations, while some young radicals engaged in terrorism. Cuvaj himself was target of two assassination attempts in 1912.The newly appointed ban,Iván Skerlecz,is a Hungarian too,but he has plans to give more autonomy to the Hungarians and make them join Hungary.Alongside the 8 elected deputies (in 1888), 44 ex officio members were Croatian and Slavonian high nobility.They are against C-S joining(they don't hold any real power,but the ban wants to have the nobility on his side).They officially joined the war on the 1st of August with the annexation of Dalmatia.
Germany's foreign minister,von Jagow,is trying to keep the friendly relations with Austria,but Wilhelm,the Kaiser,thinks that Austria's recent attempts to ally Britain act against the will of the German people(including the Austrians).They saw that they are not going to get any belp from the German Empire.The Kaiser's decision split the nation-some of the people want to help their Austrian friend and others think that Austria didn't want the German Empire as their ally before the revolution and that they shouldn't help them now.
The Ottomans continue to control a big part of the Balkans and the organized resistance grows every day.More people join the Internal Thracian-Macedonian revolutionary organization(ITMRO).The idea of this organization is to unite people from all Balkan countries andall existing organizations.The organization has three main leaders(one Bulgarian,Serbian and Greek)-Hristo Tatarchev,Jovan Babunski and Michael Sionidis.
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Because of the Ottoman policy to persecute the dhimmis,they had to hide,but the Ottomans found them and executed them in August.
Austria is now surrounded by enemies.Croatia-Slavonia,Bohemia-Moravia and Hungary,Germany's gathering their troops on the Austrian border and Russia is planning to invade Austria through B-M.They are once again split,the pan-slavists want to let the Russian army move through their territory,and the nationalists think that the Russians will use that against them.
Ivan Goremykin,is a conservative and the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) was Called back to service by the Tsar in April.He opposes the idea of Pan -Slavism and a Federation with B-M.His conservatism and The hostility expressed toward him by members of both the State Duma and the Council of Ministers greatly impair the effectiveness of his government.The other ministers demand that he should be replaced by someone with more modern ideas.Nicholas II doesn't want to replace,because that might reduce his power.Many people want this position-Mikhail Rodzianko,the chairman of the State Duma,wants to secure the position of Prime Minister .He is a conservative as well,but he has solutions to the Pan-Slavic problem.He thinks that the government should dissolve the party and suppress the Pan-Slavic idea.The people won't like this and they might finally start the revolution.Pyotr Bark,the finance minister has other ideas-he thinks that a union with B-M will help Russia secure it's place in Europe.Kerensky,the leader of the pan-slavists,also wants to become the PM.He wants to bring his ideas in the government.
However,the prime minister's position is symbolic and he can't change anything if Nicholas doesn't agree with the changes.
The pan-slavists are forming another congress,this time to decide what will Pan-Slavist Russia be.Some people suggest that the new Russia should be a republic,to show to other slavs that the Russian people are free from monarchism,while others think that a strong leader will rule the country better.People from other slav nations come again,while some of the governments denounce this as Russian pan-Slavism.
In Germany,the Kaiser decided to Invade Austria(the Austrians don't have any troops on the German border)with the help of Italy,that wants to take South Tyrol from the Austrians,but it's mostly Italian.Heinrich Claß created the German Unification Movement.The people in the German Empire want a Greater Germany and the Austrians like the idea as well,because this will end the war faster.Franz Ferdinand knows that he can't resist the German invasion,but he wants to be the monarch of the Austrian side of the New German Empire,and Wilhelm doesn't agree with that.He doesn't want to divide the country and share his power with someone else.The Austrian army,which consists of 200,000 men,all of which are fighting with the Hungarians,has to move some of their soldiers to the German border.Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf,the Austrian Chief of the general staff commanded the 1st Army,led by Viktor Dankl von Krasnik(he was put in command of the 1st army at the start of the war)to build trenches and defend against the Germans.The war for Austria started.
Viktor Dankl was born in the Imperial Austrian province of Venetia . His father was a Captain in the army from nearby Venice. His secondary education would first take place in Gorizia, where his family relocated after his father's retirement, and then in Trieste. Both schools are German language Gymnasiums. In 1869, at the age of fourteen, he moved on to the Cadet Institute at St. Pölten, Lower Austria. From 1870 until 1874 he attended the Theresian Military Academy at Wiener-Neustadt, also in Lower Austria.
German intervention in the war
Austria is now surrounded by enemies.Croatia-Slavonia,Bohemia-Moravia and Hungary,Germany's gathering their troops on the Austrian border and Russia is planning to invade Austria through B-M.They are once again split,the pan-slavists want to let the Russian army move through their territory,and the nationalists think that the Russians will use that against them.
Ivan Goremykin,is a conservative and the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) was Called back to service by the Tsar in April.He opposes the idea of Pan -Slavism and a Federation with B-M.His conservatism and The hostility expressed toward him by members of both the State Duma and the Council of Ministers greatly impair the effectiveness of his government.The other ministers demand that he should be replaced by someone with more modern ideas.Nicholas II doesn't want to replace,because that might reduce his power.Many people want this position-Mikhail Rodzianko,the chairman of the State Duma,wants to secure the position of Prime Minister .He is a conservative as well,but he has solutions to the Pan-Slavic problem.He thinks that the government should dissolve the party and suppress the Pan-Slavic idea.The people won't like this and they might finally start the revolution.Pyotr Bark,the finance minister has other ideas-he thinks that a union with B-M will help Russia secure it's place in Europe.Kerensky,the leader of the pan-slavists,also wants to become the PM.He wants to bring his ideas in the government.
However,the prime minister's position is symbolic and he can't change anything if Nicholas doesn't agree with the changes.
The pan-slavists are forming another congress,this time to decide what will Pan-Slavist Russia be.Some people suggest that the new Russia should be a republic,to show to other slavs that the Russian people are free from monarchism,while others think that a strong leader will rule the country better.People from other slav nations come again,while some of the governments denounce this as Russian pan-Slavism.
In Germany,the Kaiser decided to Invade Austria(the Austrians don't have any troops on the German border)with the help of Italy,that wants to take South Tyrol from the Austrians,but it's mostly Italian.Heinrich Claß created the German Unification Movement.The people in the German Empire want a Greater Germany and the Austrians like the idea as well,because this will end the war faster.Franz Ferdinand knows that he can't resist the German invasion,but he wants to be the monarch of the Austrian side of the New German Empire,and Wilhelm doesn't agree with that.He doesn't want to divide the country and share his power with someone else.The Austrian army,which consists of 200,000 men,all of which are fighting with the Hungarians,has to move some of their soldiers to the German border.Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf,the Austrian Chief of the general staff commanded the 1st Army,led by Viktor Dankl von Krasnik(he was put in command of the 1st army at the start of the war)to build trenches and defend against the Germans.The war for Austria started.
Viktor Dankl was born in the Imperial Austrian province of Venetia . His father was a Captain in the army from nearby Venice. His secondary education would first take place in Gorizia, where his family relocated after his father's retirement, and then in Trieste. Both schools are German language Gymnasiums. In 1869, at the age of fourteen, he moved on to the Cadet Institute at St. Pölten, Lower Austria. From 1870 until 1874 he attended the Theresian Military Academy at Wiener-Neustadt, also in Lower Austria.
Bavarian revolt
With the start of the new German-Austrian war new problems came up in German Empire-South German nationalism,mostly in the Bavarian Kingdom.Bavarian nationalists believe that the new German Empire is dominated by Prussia and they think that is they help the Austrians,they can build a South German confederation,where all countries will be equal in power.However,they can't win a war against the whole German Empire, so they will have to use the help of foreign powers to achieve their goal.The Bavarians are closer to Catholic Austria than they are to Protestant Prussia and many people still remember the time before the unification.Ludwig III,the king of Bavaria is on the side of Prussia,because he thinks that a South German Confederation,would weaken the Bavarian Kingdom.Heinrich Held is one of the main nationalists that want a Independent Bavaria.Many of these nationalists are also monarchists,but they think that Ludwig III is a traitor to Bavaria and they want to choose a new monarch.The monarchists decided to approach Rupprecht,the Bavarian Crown Prince.He agreed,because he knows that Germany won't survive an inavsion from another major european power.Everything is done in secret from the Bavarian King.They can't use the French for a invasion of Germany,because they are generally viewed as enemies by all Germans.They chose to make a secret alliance with Russia,and they sent Gustav Ritter von Kahr,a monarchist and a nationalist,who believes that Bavaria might win the upcoming war.
He has to talk with Brusilov,who was preparing to invade through B-M.
In the Balkans,a new revolt has started.It's not very big one,because they couldn't organize after the death of their leaders.New leaders were chosen to lead the revolution-Vasilije Jovanović,a founding member of the Serbian Chetnik Movement,Andon Dimitrov ,who was among the founders of the Bulgarian Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Committees and Ion Dragoumis ,a Greek revolutionary,who took part in the Macedonian struggle.The revolt started,when the Inspectorate-General of Macedonia-Ali Rıza Pasha was killed on the 20th of September.Battles started in most major cities in the European part if the Ottoman Empire,vut not many people help the revolutionaries,because the army might kill them.
The Hungarians chose Kàrolyi,after he agreed to make Andrassy,heir to the crown,which might create more problems later.The Austrian army was barely surviving against the bigger Bohemian and Hungarian armies.The Bohemian army had captured Cheb,which is mostly German and didn't join B-M.The United Hungarian and Croatian armies had taken the Slovak cities of Ljubljana and Maribor,but they stopped near Klagenfurt,because of the Austrian fortifications there-a fairly new tactic to the front.The Austrian has far more losses,than all other countries..
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A New War
A New War
Winter may be coming ,but no one can see the end of this brutal war.Actually,it seems that it is only going to grow as more countries enter the war.South Germans are rallying to the Bavarian banner.The rebellion is still ongoing, and the rebels even managed to stop the Prussian advance at Hesselberg on the 23rd of September ,where a small South German force had fortified itself.Most of the Bavarian army decided to side with the Kingdom and protect the South German ideals.The few generals that stood by the Empire fleed to the northern parts of Germany.The Bavarian government didn't wait to call them traitors and Prussian puppets.The main Bavarian forces,led by Prince Alfons,quickly moved north,hoping to slow the Prussians down until help comes from somewhere.However,it looks like no one wants to help this failed cause.In Munich,anarchy reigns as some people think that this rebellion was a mistake and small street fight are occuring in the city in the last few days and no one does anything,because all Bavarians are divided on this issue.This effectively paralyzes the government,which knows that the Prussians will soon break through thir defenses,if no on one comes to help
The Bohemians and the Hungarians are starting two offensive,named by the outside world as the,,20 day offensive",because their plan is to reach Vienna in 20 days.The young and disorganized Bohemian army lost a battle to the experienced Austrian army near Krumau.The Hungarian front turned into a stalemate,after both armies tried to secure higher points,even though the Hungarian army scored a few victories in the south.Archduke Joseph(who was promoted to Feldmarschall)said that something new will have to be developed in order to break the stalemate on the front.The Austrian General Staff reported that work has been started on new and more modern rifles and artillery.The people rally behind the Kaiser like never before.The war support is incredibly high and new recruits come to the army every day.
The French government stated that a peaceful solution should be found.However, everyone knows that the French will not just stay and watch without doing anything.The French Prime minister,René Viviani,is known for protecting the socialists and the trade union workers.
On the next day,the Bulgarian government announces these shocking news to the public-the Tzar was killed by people who hated him for creating the first National Catastrophe.His son,Boris,acceded to the throne of an already unstable country,and to make evrything worse,the Prime minister resigned.
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The Ceasefire
The Ceasefire
The Austrian army,now desperate, after losing most of their empire to revolts decided to take back the lands that Hungary had earned during the start of the 20 day Offensive, as the Hungarian army is exhausted after marching tirelessly through Austrian territory. However,as the Austrian generals will soon learn, this is not enough to achieve victory, when they are so outnumbered by the inexperienced, but ambitious Hungarian army.As the shocked officers watch the battle, thousands of soldiers fall to the revolt.The rebels withstood the poorly planned Austrian attack.The officers have to call the attack back,and soon the rebellion will be able to march into Vienna unopposed. A total victory will be disastrous for Austria,which leads to some of the diplomats to start plans for a ceasefire and a peace treaty.The Germans welcomed the idea,as this would allow them to lay hold of Austria and turn the Austrians into a de facto puppet of the Empire.
The preparations for the treaty begin. The German Foreign Minister, Gottlieb von Jagow, pressures Hungary to halt their military actions by threatening with a German entry into the war. This is an obvious victory for the rebellions, so they won their independence, however, the Germans secretly adopt the Großdeutschland once again,much to the Great Powers' contempt,which means that Austria's integrity will be preserved and new continues won't expand.
Countrywide celebrations are organized in Hungary,B-M and Croatia after the end of the war to show that Austrian oppression is finally over.Some people even form groups to attack Austrian suburbs in major cities,and the still unorganized and nationalist governments do nothing about this new division of locals and the forner oppressors. The day of the ceasefire(13 October 1914)is declared a national holiday in the new countries.Hungary looked back to the ideals of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848.
But despite all that,the war is far from over,as no treaty is signed yet.The arrangements for this eventful and significant treaty finally came to a halt on the 20th and the delegates gathered in Berlin to decide the fates of their nations.
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A Fallen Eagle
A Fallen Eagle
Treaty of Berlin :- The former lands of the Bohemian-Moravian crown(with the exception of the German-speaking regions of South Bohemia)will form the new state of Bohemia-Moravia
- The lands with Slovenian majority will be given to the kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia,considering the simillar ethnicities of the Croatian and Slovenian peoples
- The Austrian Empire will recognize the independence of the Hungarian Kingdom
- A new state will be established from the lands that the Habsburgs had annexed in the First Partition of Poland,the Kingdom of Galicia-Lodomeria
- The Free Imperial city of Trieste and the March of Istria will be granted to the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
- The Austrian Empire will recognise the independence of the newly established states of Croatia-Slavonia and Galicia-Lodomeria
- The adjacent Bukovina in the east will pass to the Hungarian Kingdom
Signatories
The Kingdom of Galicia-Lodomeria
The Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
The Republic of Bohemia-Moravia
The Hungarian Kingdom
The Austrian Empire
With pressure from the German Empire,no limitations were put on the Austrian Empire,which isn't a very popular decision in newly-established states,since they still see the Austrians as a threat,especially when they have the support of the Germans.The only overseas possession remained with Austria,which is once again seen as a weakness in the eyes of the Hungarian people. Should this government stay in power, if they can't force their will upon the defeated power.
The end of this war shows the start of a new age.The former serfs have finally freed themselves from their Austrian overlords,because we put our differences aside and united our efforts with a single purpose - to end foreign rule, which made us strong and we won a great victory today! With the end of the Fallen Eagle(in reference to the Austrian Empire), a new age begins.The Modern Age. - László Lukács, Hungarian delegate,after the treaty was signed.
The war may be over,but the problems are just starting. The anti-Austrian groups (which are essentially becoming paramilitary forces) are growing and hierarchies are forming, which will help them to enforce their ideas on the still unstable and mostly nationalist government.They want absolute rule for the Hungarians,with no autonomous regions for the minorities(Austrians,Slovaks and Romanians)One of the people that are rising to prominence as leaders of the groups is Mikloś Horthy,a patriot who was ready to ally with ultraationalists to protect his country from the internal enemies.This leads to the rise of the chauvinist "Army of the Magyars".Horthy,was not popular in Hungary,as he was just a corvette captain, but his anti-Austrian speeches gather the most fervent nationalists and patriots in the country.
Mikloś Horthy in his uniform after the creation of the Army,1914
Hungary shall not fall to extremist and nationalist movements, who want to establish absolute rule! Democracy will be victorious! - excerpt from the liberal newspaper "12 Points" (named after the demands of the revolutionaries in 1848).
The volunteers that formed the Hungarian "army" during the war were now turning on each other.
Italy will not allow Trieste and all Istria to quietly get to Croatia-Slavonia, Regio Esercito will launch an invasion well before as Rome want very specific piece of A-H
The chaos in Hungary will be a perfect time to strike Croatia-Slavonia, but South Tyrol will remain in Austria's hands,as they are protected by the Germany.
yourworstnightmare
Banned
To me it lost credibility when Russia did not declare war on Austria over Austria's intervention in the Balkan War.
A-H quickly defeated the Balkan League, but soon they collapsed and Russia had no reason to declare war on Hungary.
FillyofDelphi
Banned
On that grounds and speaking of intervention, are France and Britain going to just twiddle their thumbs in this major crisis? If the Danubian Corpse is collapsing, they'd inevitably want to make sure it dosent overly favor their rivals or create a massive powder keg.