Austria is nothing any more.
You should annex it.
If you don't, you're a cruel person.
You should annex it.
If you don't, you're a cruel person.
-
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I think that you are too hard on yourself when it comes to battle updates. Both very well done and quite entertaining to read.
So Austria is now finished. Take it all and unite all the German speaking peoples.
So Austria is now finished. Take it all and unite all the German speaking peoples.
Another great update, I agree with Hardraade mate, you're being to hard on yourself. You write wonderful battle scenes.
Hmm, I wonder about these Colts. Munitions trade with Amerika?
Hmm, I wonder about these Colts. Munitions trade with Amerika?
Yeah, I second the desire for a map of Europe once all the land grabs are done. Particularly Central Europe as well as France & England.
Having opened the battle it was fatal to Austrian hopes to sit and wait for a month. Still, it is hard to see what they could do under the circumstances except make the enemy pay full price for Vienna... which they did.
The final shape of the peace treaty remains to be seen. From your remarks I think you are hinting that you required disarmament. Then... satellitization, perhaps? Or do you have enough to take the bulk of their lands, or even annex them?
After this, you'll be hard pressed to find an enemy who can give you a good fight.
The final shape of the peace treaty remains to be seen. From your remarks I think you are hinting that you required disarmament. Then... satellitization, perhaps? Or do you have enough to take the bulk of their lands, or even annex them?
After this, you'll be hard pressed to find an enemy who can give you a good fight.
It has got to be time to break Austria's power for good and turn her resources towards preparing the Germans for future conflicts against France and Russia. I'd like to see provices with a German population in them taken from Austria, then the rest of Austria broken into a confederacy of smaller states acting as German puppets in the region to act as a pro-German bloc in central Europe, and by default securing your southern flank.
The other option could be to give these provinces to Hungary & Italy, buying the loyalty of both at the same time?
The other option could be to give these provinces to Hungary & Italy, buying the loyalty of both at the same time?
I think now is the time for a hard peace against the Austrians, I'm not sure that with only 40,000 out of 200,000 left we can do much more against it, the longer the war drags on, the more we leave ourselves open to sedition and attack.
Sedition is a small price to pay for the glory and honour of reuniting the German People at long last. Großdeutschland, Großdeutschland, über alles, über alles in dem Welt!
I don't think the man who conquered Vienna would be treated so badly, no matter how many casualties he took in doing so. In RL he'd probably get a promotion.
There is no such thing as a Pyrrhic Victory when you clearly win the war. Don't cha know?
To All: Will either update tomorrow or Tuesday. Not too long till exams are over, and then we can be having more regular updates! And this next update is one I have been very much looking forward to writing.
Enewald, English Patriot: There is really only one outcome in this war, it has to be so. The cost was too great to allow anything but.
Hardraade, Kampf_Machen: Hmm, I still think I am lacking in a many areas of it. I spose, I just don't have the time, in all senses, to develop the style further.
Kampf_Machen: Will cover about the Colts in the next update.
volksmarschall: I'll take your word for it
Viden, Kampf_Machen: You'll get a map in the next update, but there is no point posting a map now when it'll be changing radically in a few days.
Director: Indeed, I am fearing that problem. I shall have to be very hard on myself from now on, as goes events and modding.
Gywn: Will cover about this in the next update.
Tommy4ever: He did get thousands over Germans killed... and his entry in Vienna is not as important as it may seem. The Capital, in fact as we shall see, means very little.
comagoosie: No, phyrric because the game will be too easy now...
Enewald, English Patriot: There is really only one outcome in this war, it has to be so. The cost was too great to allow anything but.
Hardraade, Kampf_Machen: Hmm, I still think I am lacking in a many areas of it. I spose, I just don't have the time, in all senses, to develop the style further.
Kampf_Machen: Will cover about the Colts in the next update.
volksmarschall: I'll take your word for it
Viden, Kampf_Machen: You'll get a map in the next update, but there is no point posting a map now when it'll be changing radically in a few days.
Director: Indeed, I am fearing that problem. I shall have to be very hard on myself from now on, as goes events and modding.
Gywn: Will cover about this in the next update.
Tommy4ever: He did get thousands over Germans killed... and his entry in Vienna is not as important as it may seem. The Capital, in fact as we shall see, means very little.
comagoosie: No, phyrric because the game will be too easy now...
robou: To All: Will either update tomorrow or Tuesday...
wonderful. looking forward to it. btw, i am caught up ! !
wonderful. looking forward to it. btw, i am caught up ! !
Looking forward to the update. I look forward to seeing just how the Reich looks now.
Germans with Colts? Excellent...
I've skimmed through the first 37 pages of this story, and so far I'm liking it very much. You've turned Prussia/Germany into a beast that's as aggressive as it always been, but not quite as predictable.
And you've managed to lure GhostWriter back to the forums!
I've skimmed through the first 37 pages of this story, and so far I'm liking it very much. You've turned Prussia/Germany into a beast that's as aggressive as it always been, but not quite as predictable.
And you've managed to lure GhostWriter back to the forums!
1849: Redrawing Old Maps
The situation in Austria that Germany now had to deal with was a very difficult one. There were questions to ask as to the status of the Hapsburg Empire, the German Confederation and the various states that had claim some form of autonomy from Vienna before, during and now after the war had ended. This all could have been dealt with in good time, in an official congress of nations, but this was made difficult by a number of circumstances which prohibited any such meeting. Firstly, and most importantly, there was still a war going on with Russia. Interestingly, both German and Russian commanders on that front were unsure as whether there still was a war between the two, or if the fall of Austria had ended St. Petersburg interventional feelings, and if so had Berlin accepted the status quo. As such, an odd semi-armistice was formed for as long as a month while the status of the war was arranged. There has been no event quite like this elsewhere in history. Second was that a congress of European nations (such as that at Vienna 1815) would not be complete without both France and Britain, as much as Germany loathed their views, attending as well. However, these nations were still locked in a very bloody conflict and had paid little attention to events in central Europe, and had no time or money to spare on conferences. The third reason was a serious complication. It was soon found out from army rumours and then visible evidence that, on hearing of his armies surrender at Graz, Emperor Ferdinand I, whose mental health had always been in doubt¹, had taken poison and died. His body had been buried in a hidden location. The lack of a son meant that his nephew, Franz Joseph would take over control of the throne, but had not yet been crowned. The news was taken with a great amount of shock in Germany, and the Kaiser was said to be speechless at receiving such information.
It was, however, decided better to continue with peace negotiations regardless, and Prince Klemens von Metternich was chosen by the new would-be-Emperor to lead the Austrian’s, and Bismarck for the Germans, into the Second Congress of Vienna, which would once again shift the borders of Europe dramatically. It was quickly agreed that the rest of Bohemia and Moravia should become German, as had been the constant in Prussians foreign policy in earlier wars. The region was rich in coal and iron, as well as a comfortably developing heavy industry. Austria, under the circumstances, had no choice but to lose the rest of this bountiful land.
Galicia presented an entirely different problem, however. The Germans did not really want the land; it did not possess raw materials that were needed, or any developed industry of any kind. To the Germans, Galicia would just be another area of useless farmland inhabited by troublesome minorities that would suck away troops that were needed elsewhere. But, then, they were unsure who to pass Galicia too; or, perhaps better put, who would want it? There were several plans. Due to other ideas about slimming Hungary in the east, it was a possibility to ensure Hungarian acceptance of such a treaty by offering them Galicia as compensation. Indeed, some in Hungary had long been claiming Galicia to be ‘A Polish Hungary’. However, this idea was soon abandoned as it was agreed that though there were some loyalties placed between the two regions, it would be yet millions more restless minorities for the Hungarians (as there were many Ukrainians and ‘Romanians’ in southern Galicia) to handle when they could barely the territory they now possessed. Another scheme was thought up that Galicia could be split with Russia in return for land in Congress Poland and a lasting peace in the east; the north half, dominated by Poles, would become German and the south, populated by Ukrainians, would go to Russia. It was considered, but the General Staff agreed that the war with Russia needed to be won, rather than bought off, if morale and support for the regime was to remain high. Instead, a simpler plan was used. If no one else wanted the land, then why not, it had failed to occur to anybody, give it to the people who live there and do, out of hand, want it. Added to that, of course; Galicia had been, since the start of the Hungarian revolution almost a year earlier, totally cut of from Vienna and an autonomous region in all but name. It had, albeit with Russian support, made out its own capital for the running of the region, placed in Lemberg, built its own army (the Polish revolt against the German invasion I alluded to beforehand) and been the only region of Austria not to be successfully occupied by the Germans. So, Galicia would become a semi-autonomous region, under German guidance, with the head of state being the Kaiser, at least until a settlement between Berlin and the regions rulers could be met.
A few days later the Galician Flag, the red-atop-white, was raised over Lemberg and the first official Galician parliament met for discussions. Two days later, the German protectorate was enforced with the entry of 40,000 German troops into the region. Polish and Ukrainian nationalists were quickly arrested and pro-Germans placed in positions of power. The Army would oversee the training of 20,000 native Galicians, the officers being of German decent, so that Berlin could use their own troops elsewhere.
The situation on the western flank of Hungary was somewhat more complex. Spurred on by the Hungarian’s success and by the virtual collapse of the Hapsburg Empire, the Croatians had also rebelled and met with some success. Support from the people had been strong, and the so called ‘Illyrian Movement’, led by Ljudevit Gaj who, despite being of Slovako-German decent, had formed a popular Liberal party and taken control of Croatia. Unfortunately, Austrian garrisons had been stubborn to the last, and the Croats had managed to hang onto the coastal regions of their new nation. Crucially, Zagreb, the nation’s would-be capital, had not been taken, and when the Austrians surrendered the Germans were the first to reach it. The Croatians, and their demands, were an annoyance, and made German plans for the Adriatic all the more problematic, but it did not take much working around. It did make German demands on the slimming of Hungary much more viable and explainable to the Diet. Croatia would receive Hungarian and German lands that included a majority of Croats, and also those with a majority of Slovenes as the new state would be of both races. This was good for the Croatians as they territory now extended almost three times larger than before and included the cities of Zagreb and Ljubljana. However, there was territory to give; Hungary was given Fiume as it was a concern of theirs to, despite given no route but through Croatia², have access to the Adriatic. Sardinia-Piedmont was given the Istria peninsular, as they also had concerns about claiming a harbour on the Dalmatian coast; this came in the form of Pula. Finally, Germany received Trieste and a small corridor, running along the Isonzo River to the safety of the Austrian border. Germany, unlike Hungary, would not trust the Croatian’s military access rights. Instead, they would begin the difficult task of building a military road through some of Europe’s most inhospitable mountains.
With Austria defeated, Germany began to support Italian Unification again, and gave Sardinia-Piedmont everything she required to unite the peninsular behind her. Despite some Germans wanting to keep the Lombardi-Veneto region for her ports, industry and huge population, it was agreed that Germany had no place for Italians inside her borders; not if it could be avoided. This idea of taking on German-majority regions forced the Germans to accept the loss of the rich Italian lands. Lombardi-Veneto, Pula, and the South Tirol, north of Lake Garda³ was given directly from German holdings. Added to that, Modena and Parma were forced to accept Sardinian domination of their lands, and the Papal States lost Romagna to Sardinia, in both cases for standing against Germany. The Grand Duchy of Tuscany, a firm German supporter, also agreed to join with the new Italian Confederation, and took the small Duchy of Lucca with it, despite both not playing a major part in the war. Sardinia-Piedmont was, without a doubt, the greatest winner from the Second Congress, having taken no part in the war, but gaining enough land and power to take on the rest of Italy. However, an alliance with Germany didn’t just come as a demand anymore, it was an obligation. And that meant possible conflicts with France, and the two nations had their differences already over the area of Savoy.
The Austrians, throughout, had no basis on which to argue their points. The Congress was, in effect, a diktat. Then came the question as to the status of Austria proper. On this the Germans were, to say the least, ambiguous. They continually put off the idea that they were annexing Austria, and agreed to instate Metternich as a governor of Austria-under-occupation until a well thought out conclusion could be reached. Until that point, and the Austrians were in no position to resist, the German Army was to remain in place and Vienna was to be at the whim of Berlin, under the pretences of the ‘reorganisation of the Austrian state’. The Austrians were rightly annoyed, but Metternich knew he had no alternative but to accept. At least, with the terms they had at the present, he would be in enough of a position of power to eventually resist the German occupation.
Notes
¹ He suffered from epilepsy and was known for not being very bright, yet he was said to have a quick wit.
² They were given promised free military access, but this would become inconsequential later, especially with the signing formal alliance with Germany
³ Better known as the Trento/Trentino
Central and Eastern Europe after the first draft of the Congress of Vienna
The situation in Austria that Germany now had to deal with was a very difficult one. There were questions to ask as to the status of the Hapsburg Empire, the German Confederation and the various states that had claim some form of autonomy from Vienna before, during and now after the war had ended. This all could have been dealt with in good time, in an official congress of nations, but this was made difficult by a number of circumstances which prohibited any such meeting. Firstly, and most importantly, there was still a war going on with Russia. Interestingly, both German and Russian commanders on that front were unsure as whether there still was a war between the two, or if the fall of Austria had ended St. Petersburg interventional feelings, and if so had Berlin accepted the status quo. As such, an odd semi-armistice was formed for as long as a month while the status of the war was arranged. There has been no event quite like this elsewhere in history. Second was that a congress of European nations (such as that at Vienna 1815) would not be complete without both France and Britain, as much as Germany loathed their views, attending as well. However, these nations were still locked in a very bloody conflict and had paid little attention to events in central Europe, and had no time or money to spare on conferences. The third reason was a serious complication. It was soon found out from army rumours and then visible evidence that, on hearing of his armies surrender at Graz, Emperor Ferdinand I, whose mental health had always been in doubt¹, had taken poison and died. His body had been buried in a hidden location. The lack of a son meant that his nephew, Franz Joseph would take over control of the throne, but had not yet been crowned. The news was taken with a great amount of shock in Germany, and the Kaiser was said to be speechless at receiving such information.
It was, however, decided better to continue with peace negotiations regardless, and Prince Klemens von Metternich was chosen by the new would-be-Emperor to lead the Austrian’s, and Bismarck for the Germans, into the Second Congress of Vienna, which would once again shift the borders of Europe dramatically. It was quickly agreed that the rest of Bohemia and Moravia should become German, as had been the constant in Prussians foreign policy in earlier wars. The region was rich in coal and iron, as well as a comfortably developing heavy industry. Austria, under the circumstances, had no choice but to lose the rest of this bountiful land.
Galicia presented an entirely different problem, however. The Germans did not really want the land; it did not possess raw materials that were needed, or any developed industry of any kind. To the Germans, Galicia would just be another area of useless farmland inhabited by troublesome minorities that would suck away troops that were needed elsewhere. But, then, they were unsure who to pass Galicia too; or, perhaps better put, who would want it? There were several plans. Due to other ideas about slimming Hungary in the east, it was a possibility to ensure Hungarian acceptance of such a treaty by offering them Galicia as compensation. Indeed, some in Hungary had long been claiming Galicia to be ‘A Polish Hungary’. However, this idea was soon abandoned as it was agreed that though there were some loyalties placed between the two regions, it would be yet millions more restless minorities for the Hungarians (as there were many Ukrainians and ‘Romanians’ in southern Galicia) to handle when they could barely the territory they now possessed. Another scheme was thought up that Galicia could be split with Russia in return for land in Congress Poland and a lasting peace in the east; the north half, dominated by Poles, would become German and the south, populated by Ukrainians, would go to Russia. It was considered, but the General Staff agreed that the war with Russia needed to be won, rather than bought off, if morale and support for the regime was to remain high. Instead, a simpler plan was used. If no one else wanted the land, then why not, it had failed to occur to anybody, give it to the people who live there and do, out of hand, want it. Added to that, of course; Galicia had been, since the start of the Hungarian revolution almost a year earlier, totally cut of from Vienna and an autonomous region in all but name. It had, albeit with Russian support, made out its own capital for the running of the region, placed in Lemberg, built its own army (the Polish revolt against the German invasion I alluded to beforehand) and been the only region of Austria not to be successfully occupied by the Germans. So, Galicia would become a semi-autonomous region, under German guidance, with the head of state being the Kaiser, at least until a settlement between Berlin and the regions rulers could be met.
A few days later the Galician Flag, the red-atop-white, was raised over Lemberg and the first official Galician parliament met for discussions. Two days later, the German protectorate was enforced with the entry of 40,000 German troops into the region. Polish and Ukrainian nationalists were quickly arrested and pro-Germans placed in positions of power. The Army would oversee the training of 20,000 native Galicians, the officers being of German decent, so that Berlin could use their own troops elsewhere.
The situation on the western flank of Hungary was somewhat more complex. Spurred on by the Hungarian’s success and by the virtual collapse of the Hapsburg Empire, the Croatians had also rebelled and met with some success. Support from the people had been strong, and the so called ‘Illyrian Movement’, led by Ljudevit Gaj who, despite being of Slovako-German decent, had formed a popular Liberal party and taken control of Croatia. Unfortunately, Austrian garrisons had been stubborn to the last, and the Croats had managed to hang onto the coastal regions of their new nation. Crucially, Zagreb, the nation’s would-be capital, had not been taken, and when the Austrians surrendered the Germans were the first to reach it. The Croatians, and their demands, were an annoyance, and made German plans for the Adriatic all the more problematic, but it did not take much working around. It did make German demands on the slimming of Hungary much more viable and explainable to the Diet. Croatia would receive Hungarian and German lands that included a majority of Croats, and also those with a majority of Slovenes as the new state would be of both races. This was good for the Croatians as they territory now extended almost three times larger than before and included the cities of Zagreb and Ljubljana. However, there was territory to give; Hungary was given Fiume as it was a concern of theirs to, despite given no route but through Croatia², have access to the Adriatic. Sardinia-Piedmont was given the Istria peninsular, as they also had concerns about claiming a harbour on the Dalmatian coast; this came in the form of Pula. Finally, Germany received Trieste and a small corridor, running along the Isonzo River to the safety of the Austrian border. Germany, unlike Hungary, would not trust the Croatian’s military access rights. Instead, they would begin the difficult task of building a military road through some of Europe’s most inhospitable mountains.
With Austria defeated, Germany began to support Italian Unification again, and gave Sardinia-Piedmont everything she required to unite the peninsular behind her. Despite some Germans wanting to keep the Lombardi-Veneto region for her ports, industry and huge population, it was agreed that Germany had no place for Italians inside her borders; not if it could be avoided. This idea of taking on German-majority regions forced the Germans to accept the loss of the rich Italian lands. Lombardi-Veneto, Pula, and the South Tirol, north of Lake Garda³ was given directly from German holdings. Added to that, Modena and Parma were forced to accept Sardinian domination of their lands, and the Papal States lost Romagna to Sardinia, in both cases for standing against Germany. The Grand Duchy of Tuscany, a firm German supporter, also agreed to join with the new Italian Confederation, and took the small Duchy of Lucca with it, despite both not playing a major part in the war. Sardinia-Piedmont was, without a doubt, the greatest winner from the Second Congress, having taken no part in the war, but gaining enough land and power to take on the rest of Italy. However, an alliance with Germany didn’t just come as a demand anymore, it was an obligation. And that meant possible conflicts with France, and the two nations had their differences already over the area of Savoy.
The Austrians, throughout, had no basis on which to argue their points. The Congress was, in effect, a diktat. Then came the question as to the status of Austria proper. On this the Germans were, to say the least, ambiguous. They continually put off the idea that they were annexing Austria, and agreed to instate Metternich as a governor of Austria-under-occupation until a well thought out conclusion could be reached. Until that point, and the Austrians were in no position to resist, the German Army was to remain in place and Vienna was to be at the whim of Berlin, under the pretences of the ‘reorganisation of the Austrian state’. The Austrians were rightly annoyed, but Metternich knew he had no alternative but to accept. At least, with the terms they had at the present, he would be in enough of a position of power to eventually resist the German occupation.
Notes
¹ He suffered from epilepsy and was known for not being very bright, yet he was said to have a quick wit.
² They were given promised free military access, but this would become inconsequential later, especially with the signing formal alliance with Germany
³ Better known as the Trento/Trentino
Central and Eastern Europe after the first draft of the Congress of Vienna
Very nice. The Überdeutschland borders have been reached
The Russians will take their turn biting the dust very soon
The Russians will take their turn biting the dust very soon