Austrians would never fight fellow Austrians
In spite of the civil war?
Austrians would never fight fellow Austrians
I am not arguing they would ever invade, I disagree with OP. They would never attack people of their own race. I agree the result would of been on a good day near to 80% of the total population.If anything that makes it less likely the Germans would've invaded Austria had the referendum been held, but not controlled by germans. The end result would most likely be the same, but the germans did most likely falsify a minority of the results, since 99.5% is a bit too high and it is generally believed the support was more in the 60-80% range
That involved communists, they would not find loyalty to their own race. They are of course the exemption from what I was saying.In spite of the civil war?
Indeed, because no matter what, if a referendum was held, most people wanted an Anschluss and an invasion would lead to a vcivil war, where the government would be quickly defeated. Though do you find it likely that the little entente or France would intervene?I am not arguing they would ever invade, I disagree with OP. They would never attack people of their own race. I agree the result would of been on a good day near to 80% of the total population.
That involved communists, they would not find loyalty to their own race. They are of course the exemption from what I was saying.
Public support would never be in favour of intervention in Austria even after Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia the French often said "Why die for Danzig?". The invasion was quick, there was little fight in the French people that however changed throughout the course of the war.Indeed, because no matter what, if a referendum was held, most people wanted an Anschluss and an invasion would lead to a vcivil war, where the government would be quickly defeated. Though do you find it likely that the little entente or France would intervene?
We are not talking about the idealistic times of today, racial identity was the basis of politics prior to the end of the war in German (including Austrian) politics. "Red Vienna" was a collection of communists and far left Social Democrats, the muscle behind the operation was largely that of the more radical communists. Reminds me a lot of provisional government in Russia after February 1917, collections of different types of radical left wingers- mensheviks,SR's and bolsheviks, but all mostly united in their admiration of Marx.Red Vienna was not an exclusively communist movement, nor is "race loyalty" an essential part of Austrian identity.
And the little entente? i.e. the Czechs, the Yugoslavs and the Romanians? I am mixed. On one hand, especially Czechoslovakia was very democratic and strategically the Anschluss of Austria opened up their weakest front for a German invasion, weakening a successful defense. On the other hand, they disliked Austria for historical reasonsPublic support would never be in favour of intervention in Austria even after Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia the French often said "Why die for Danzig?". The invasion was quick, there was little fight in the French people that however changed throughout the course of the war.
They would allow volunteers but I don't think the governments of those countries would be bold enough to officially endorse such a thing.And the little entente? i.e. the Czechs, the Yugoslavs and the Romanians? I am mixed. On one hand, especially Czechoslovakia was very democratic and strategically the Anschluss of Austria opened up their weakest front for a German invasion, weakening a successful defense. On the other hand, they disliked Austria for historical reasons
Only way I can see this happening is if Italy continues to oppose unification & a Italian/French partnership actively interfere & threaten war. The Austrian nazis might try to force the issue with some sort of coup.
Yeah thats my view, that unofficial they'd probably send volunteers and possibly even arms, but officially stay neutral as even with their defense plans, all their plans were only for a defensive war, while France was supposed to invade Germany from the west. Alone, it'd be bloody and possibly even a Pyrrhic victory for Germany, but they'd eventually be forced to surrender if Germany invaded them without French aid and a support of Austria would anger Germany and give justification for going to war with themThey would allow volunteers but I don't think the governments of those countries would be bold enough to officially endorse such a thing.
Yeah, I think the only way for Austria to reject the referendum and not be invaded was if Italy stayed part of the stress front after a different italo-abyssinian war and both France and Italy were ready to guarantee AustriaOnly if Benny remain in the Stresa Front...and this mean a totally diverse handling of the Italo-Abyssinian war; in OTL by now he had already given his ok to Adolf for any projects over Austria he had as repayment for the support during the sanctions and the fact that the italian economy it's already greatly attached to the German one.
If things stay as OTL, Italy will remain neutral
racial identity was the basis of politics prior to the end of the war in German (including Austrian) politics.
"Red Vienna" was a collection of communists and far left Social Democrats, the muscle behind the operation was largely that of the more radical communists.
Racist undercurrent? That's an understatement. Compared to today's standards even your left wingers would of been German racialists in some form or another but for some economic concerns were more important than wider Germanic concerns especially concerning the Treaty of Versailles/International Jewry. Not to say economic concerns were not a fundamental part to National Socialists and supporters of unification but their form of racialism was not concerned with international Jewry.Hardly, whilst there was a racist undercurrent within Austrian politics it was by no means the basis, otherwise the SDAPO wouldn't have been the largest party in the Nationalrat and Dolfuss wouldn't have had to ban elections in order to impose his fascist regime.
Red Vienna was essentially the reverse of that, it was initially radical but became tempered by the more reformist forces within the SDAPO by the beginning of the twenties. After that the focus was more on urban renewal and full employment than in following Lenin.
Racist undercurrent? That's an understatement. Compared to today's standards even your left wingers would of been German racialists in some form or another but for some economic concerns were more important than wider Germanic concerns especially concerning the Treaty of Versailles/International Jewry.
The main contingent of the 'civil war' which resulted in just a few hundred deaths almost all were communist including the executions afterwards. I think it is naive to claim that Democratic socialists had the grenades and guns at hand to defend their Marxist dream?
The fact is we do not know the ideological composition of the people who voted for the SDAPO it could of been German ethnic nationalists at that moment in time were more concerned with the economy than for pan germanism especially after the WS crash. The workers who were unaffiliated were just frustrated that their new work conditions would come to an end, their concern was more selfish than it was ideological.Considering that the SDAPO won over 40% of the vote in the last democratic elections I'd wager that it's understatement to claim that only "some" people were more interested in class than in pan-German ideals.
Both the SDAPO and the KPO opposed the fascist coup, as did their armed wings. The Red Brigades didn't fight against the Bundesheer and Heimwehr alone, the Republikanischer Schutzbund were ordered to resist as well. This isn't to forget the individual workers who fought on the streets without much allegiance to either party.
The fact is we do not know the ideological composition of the people who voted for the SDAPO
The workers who were unaffiliated were just frustrated that their new work conditions would come to an end, their concern was more selfish than it was ideological.
Given that socialism and ethnic nationalism was so intertwined during the 1930's it would be easy for an authoritarian (Marxists)or even an democratic socialist to become a National Socialist given the crippling impact of the crash.We don',t but it's much more logical to project that their ideological composition was more in line with socialism than with ethnic nationalism.
All the more reason to not characterise them as communists in that case.
Given that socialism and ethnic nationalism was so intertwined during the 1930's it would be easy for an authoritarian (Marxists)or even an democratic socialist to become a National Socialist given the crippling impact of the crash.
International Socialism was not popular in Germanic countries mainly because Germans felt that their troubles came from the collapse of Germany after the loss of the war.