Why did Austria-Hungary Collapse? 

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Both my grandparents fought for Austria-Ungary and were very proud to be part of it even though not German speakers.

It's honestly really impressive that the Austrian Empire (and later Austria-Hungary) managed to stay unified without a major revolution between 1850 and 1914, despite the fact the country had 10+ minorities. Also the fact that Austria-Hungary managed to build the 2nd largest European railway, the 3rd largest oil production, the 4th largest machine-building industry and the 3rd manufacturer and exporter of electric home appliances worldwide with its rapidly growing economy. The Ottomans meanwhile collapsed much quicker and had a far more backwards economy. The main reasons why Austria-Hungary collapsed was because of its military defeats in 1914-18, high inflation, and most notably, food. Many farmers producing food for the empire were needed for the war, the Russian invasion of Galicia destroyed food production, and the British naval blockade hurt the Central Powers a lot. By 1918 it was pretty much too late to reform the empire, but before WW1 or maybe even in the early WW1 stages it was still possible to reform it. Independence parties in the 1907 & 1911 Austrian elections all combined didn't even reach 1% of the votes and the other minorities of Austria-Hungary simply wanted more national autonomy, not independence until 1918. I believe people like Franz Ferdinand and Charles I could've reformed the empire if WW1 had been delayed.

Hungarians in Empire: We want independence ✊ Ethnic Groups in Hungary: We want independence too ✊✊✊ -Wait what? You can't do that.

Simply put it was a dynasty that lasted Hundreds of years, It only took one man to bring it down

Excellent.... simple & clear!

After the Hungarian Revolutions of 1848 into the opening stages of the 1853 Crimean War, Austria-Hungary was facing its darkest hour as its prestige was greatly diminishing & experiencing such domestic turmoil across the board that it set up the plot towards WW1. Later, the wars with France & Prussia in the 19th century would make the empire barely a 2nd tier power in Europe behind Prussia/The German Empire and would become the dominant leading state for finalizing German unification amid decades of German Dualism. Militarily, Austria-Hungary depended on the Russians for aid during the centuries of war with France, who were the major rivals of the Habsburgs, seeing they wanted to destroy the Holy Roman Empire's influence in Europe. After the Crimean War, they lost that safety net, and the Russians never forgave the Austrian-Hunagarians.

That red-green naval ensign with the two crowns is one of the best looking flags ever made

I loved this video!! ❤️ The Austro-Hungarian Empire 🇦🇹🇭🇺 has always caught my attention, since it was a great economic power with important cities (Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Krakow...) and was home to many different nationalities (Austrians, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Germans, Italians, Poles, Ukrainians, Serbs, Croats, Bosnians, Slovenes and Romanians). I wonder what would have happened if this Empire had not disappeared after the First World War. 🤔🤔

So owesome and interesting thank you pleasd do more!! ❤🙏

0:47 And this collapse was brought to you by War Thunder

At the time or wasn’t known officially as Lviv or Lvov. It was Lemberg. If you use the names the countries had at the time, you must do the same for cities.

And with one bullet, an Empire collapsed...

love this topics amazing content as always, but please add subtitle maybe?

Nationalisim in WW1 : 🙂 Nationalisim in WW2 : ☹

0:05 In 1867 Buda and Pest were not united!

Great I love this topics .Thank you for your time to make this!👍Keep it up!Love for Serbia🇷🇸

A truthful video of course for the fall of the Austro-Hungarian which was quite bizarre honestly,good friends!!!

It's the problem with Ruling a nation made of different nationalities that are so different

If the federalism were to be succeeded, their new name would be Austria-Hungary-Bosnia-Herzegovina-Croatia-Slovenia-Slovakia-Czechia Empire👍🏻

anyobody knows what music is it from 10:38 onwards? I searched many songs in the Epidemic Sound repertoire and I couldn't find it

I wouldn't say that Austria lost 60% of it's territory. These "Austrian" lands were officially called "Kingdoms and Lands represented in the Imperial Council". As you can see, there is no "Austria" in the name of this country. And for a good reason. Unlike Hungary, these lands never formed a single country. The Habsburg monarchy that eventually evolved into Austria-Hungary started in 1526 as a personal union between Austria, Bohemia (Czechia) and Hungary. Austria was an Archduchy, while Bohemia and Hungary were kingdoms, i.e. they were above Austria in terms of hierarchy/precedence (plus the king of Bohemia was a prince-elector, unlike the archduke of Austria). Bohemia/Czechia never belonged to Austria (as in present-day "German" Austria), they were merely ruled by the same person/dynasty and eventually happened to be known collectively as "Austria" or the "Austrian Empire". But this was really just an umbrella term. When the empire collapsed, this meaning of the word "Austria" ended with it. The remaing Archduchy of Austria and the other Austrian lands (Styria, Tyrol, etc.) had no historical claim on the other parts of the former empire. The only territory Austria actually lost was Carniola (Slovenia), Istria and Trieste and South Tyrol.

The song is: Jon Björk: The Great War

9:45 How can Austro-Hungarian land fall back into Italian hand when these territories had never been part of Italy before?

"Served as a powder keg, ill-fated to blow at any given notice." What... *what language* is that?!?

Very informative video about the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. I've always been fascinated by this period in history. I especially found the discussion of nationalism and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand to be very interesting. Thanks for sharing!

So...with out getting too technical ( you can read these points in books and encyclopedias).... The Hapsburgs married into the Hungarian monarchy, thus acquiring Hungary. Hungary had been a kingdom for hundreds of years before hand since medieval times. The Hungarian kingdom had been recognized as a Holy Christian kingdom by the Pope and its rulers given a Holy crown by the Pope. Due to the invasios of the Mongols and later Ottoman invasions, the Hungarian ethnic Magyar populations were devastated. As time past and history went on the Hungarian nobility turned to a policy of open immigration to remedy this. For becoming loyal citizens of the Kingdom of Hungary the new influx of Germans, Poles, Slavs, Checzs, Croatians, Romanians, etc were allowed to live on or own the land, farm, conduct business and trade etc. Provided they paid their taxes and swore fealty to their Hungarian lords, and uphold the laws of the kingdom all would be fine. So it was thought and you can see where this would lead. Hungarian nobility and citizenry were never very happy with their kingdom becoming vassals of the Austrian Hapsburgs. This lead to many uprisings and political machinations until the formation of the Dual Empire status, such as the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. But still turmoil persisted up to WW1. History has discovered that Hungarian independence movements and forces have been linked to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, working with and or supplying Serbian independence groups at the time. The Treaty of Trianon stripped the Kingdom of Hungary of her lands including Transylvania which had been ruled by Magyar lords since the Kingdoms founding. Now although many ethnic peoples had come to call these torn away territories as home the lands still held millions of Hungarians, 3.3 million, 31% of the Hungarian population, as well.

12:20 The empire was split on railroad lines! On both sides of the new border Hungarians were living!

Because it was a well organised state and everything went marvellous, lol.

It could never work unless the individual nations within a union were given broad autonomy.

Your narrator needs to be the new “In a world….” guy 😂

Question for the experts : Could a federation like system ( similar to the usa union or the German one ) have been put in place from its founding and would it have helped at all ?

I think the main reason behind the collapse of the empire is the weird dystopic wildlife of Australia.

Can you provide full tutorial of this editing?

Why don't you make a video about the uyunid and their war against qaramita and how the holy black stone was returned from qatif back to the kaba. The story of the uyunids and the qaramita is one of the most important stories which greatly impacted the history of Muslim

If only the Austrian Emperor worked much harder to keep his Empire together after joining with Hungry. Would history have been different had that occurred.

very cool

Only Hungarians were given the chance to become equal partners in 1867, because they were the only serious group that could threaten the existence of the empire from within (whereas the Prussians were the main external threat). Croatia was also a kingdom, but it was Hungary's junior partner - and it remained loyal to the Habsburgs in the 19th century, along with the other ethnic minorities, so they were simply viewed as useful assets, nothing more. Internal strife increased after 1900, but this alone could never threaten the empire's existence. However, whereas the Great Powers had wanted to keep Austria around (because they did not know what to replace it with and maintain the balance of power in Europe), at the end of WW1, they believed that they had found the recipe. A chain of smaller nation states would isolate Soviet Russia and also block German ambitions in Central Europe. Therefore, Austria-Hungary was no longer needed, so it was discarded. This idea of course incorrect. France was too far away to maintain its influence over the region, and the new status quo essentially guaranteed German hegemony in the 1930s, once the country recovered economically.

thanks for the video! But why is it not indicated on the map that the Ukrainians founded the WUPR (Western Ukrainian People's Republic)? eastern Galicia didn’t immediately go to Poland, but was occupied during the Ukrainian war with the Poles and with the Soviets at the same time

Eastern Europe fractured through Balkanization and WW1, during an era when large super states emerged, either through industrialization induced population growth (UK, France, Russia) or political merger (Germany, Italy). As a result they became pebbles to be played with by emerging great powers. Quite tragic. Unity would have served them much better (a hindsight, ofc).

Why did that scratch appear at 4:18

This video reminds me of the question I’ve had of “What would’ve happened if WWI didn’t happen?”

May be Austria Hungary empire was not capable to stepping forwarder in parallel to French, italy and Britain's...on civilization road and geopolitical competitions...simply its left behind USA and Britain's...similar to Ottomans, Russia...

German dynasty rule over 80% Slavic people on their theritory ... This had to end badly but we Poles head fredom of Languege, culture and science ... Long Live Emperor Francis :D

the second half of this video is just a repeat of the first half (which itself is just a repeat of the thesis sentence over and over). This video is like 1min of actual content. How disappointing.

Make video about Illyria please

Ironically, Austria-Hungary's thirst for Bosnia would eventually lead to its downfall

they music u put on is the same as Kings and Generals chanal

Why does your map look like a game i remember is it a game if what name

The map where it shows italian ethnic group in the empire is wrong

I have a 1902 1000 koruna note from the Austro-Hungarian empire.

From The Holy Roman Empire to Habsburg to Austro-Hungarian Empire up to the division of Austria by US UK France and Russia to what we now know Austria. Nothing is forever. Everything has its hayday, flatline, and worst downfall. We do not hold the future.

Conjoined nations always do: •Czechoslovakia •Polish-Lithuanianian Commonwealth •Serbia-Montenegro Bosnia-Hercegovina may be next because the Serbs are a a majority within its Srpska Republic

Franz Ferdinand had abandoned the idea of Trialism well before his assassination.

-Hey Knowledgia,I dont want to offend you ,but in your Video where you show the German Empire,when it was formed,you didnt include the Alsace Lorraine teritory,because The German Empire Incorporatet it after the Franco-Prussian war.

First I think Austria-Hungary simply existed "in the wrong century". 1867-1918 - this coincides with the surge of European nationalism. Pseudo-federalism with minor concessions for the Slavic minorities were not enough, they wanted full freedom, which meant the creation of fully independent states. The video rightfully says the monarch offered "too little too late". And >100 years ago, when nationalism was strong in Europe, some minor concessions were simply not enough. But imagine in a dream such a multi-ethnic state existed in today's Europe and it were a democracy, whether with a monarch as formal head of state or not, doesn't matter. Such a state of Austria-Hungary 2.0 if it existed today would be a role model (or: playground) for the European Union. If minority rights are respected all nations will work together, a multi-ethnic entity will develop and thrive. However if in such a multi-ethnic state one nation (typically the one with the capital) tries to dominate the others, we will always end up with an authoritarian government, and sooner or later there will be bloody wars. See Yugoslavia, Russia. I am intentionally using the plural "wars" because both Yugoslavia (30 years ago) and Russia (today) ended up in a series of military conflicts with other nations because they thought they had a natural right to rule over them. Nationalism is a mental illness, it tries to create purity where diversity is appropriate. Every freedom-loving human being must fight against the return of nationalism - nowadays called populism. Again xenophobic movements with slogans like "Our nation XY first", "Make country XY great again" and "all the power to our leader XY" are spreading in Europe like a fungus and already rule in countries like Russia, Hungary, Poland, maybe soon Slovakia. But replace a seemingly boring leadership with a strongman "a guy who finally has guts", a guy who bangs his fist on the table, who promises to blow up the system, and you will get a guy who will scare the guts out of everyone, including you, he will bang on your head and God knows what else he will blow up. There is a Polish saying meant as a curse: "May you live in historic times!" Fortunately most European countries are still ruled by liberals, but freedom comes at a price: The rule of law and a political system of checks and balances means constant readiness for compromise. I will call everybody a populist who tells me he knows simple solutions for complex problems. In a stable democracy one Gavrilo Princip cannot cause a world war. But if there are oppressed minorities and he has their support, he might succeed... That was "democracy in 5 minutes". 😊

I listened to an Austrian hustorian on ÖRF. He said austrian empiror started to many wars. They lost them, and AH KK in the end.too.

WAIT at 5:56 it says "Trust in Vienna had soared!" OOPS! I think you mean the opposite! (Slightly Big Mistake?)

It's interesting that Austria survived as long as it did but the rise of nationalism killed it

If I said that Austria was doomed because of the fall of the Commonwealth of Poland and Lithuania, will anyone believed me? Here's my reason. Prussia was part of the Commonwealth. And when the Commonwealth was beginning to not do well, Prussia jumped ship. And when the Commonwealth finally collapsed, Prussia even pariticipated in the Partition of Poland to gain more territories. And when the German Question rose, Prussia declared war on Austria in order to remove Austria's influence from the Southern German States and won. And when that happened, Austria was doomed. So in order for Austria to survive, it needed to be the one that unify Germany. And in order for that to happen, the Commonwealth of Poland and Lithuania needed to remain strong so that Prussia will not dared to jump ship.

The us did this!😢

"Trust in Vienna had soared"?? Maybe "soured", given the context.

10:25 alsace Lorraine was german at the time

It’s not “slovenians, croatians, serbians, bosnians” but the “kingdom of serbs, croats and slovenes”.

Next video how China become a superpower?

Why you show the Romanian flag at 8:01 if you speak about: Hungary was free, and Austria Hungary had gone up in flames?

I found a mistake on your thumbnail, Poland and Ukraine split the Kingdom of Galicia-Lodomeria into Poland and the WUPR. As the kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria was 🇺🇦🇵🇱

Because they lost a ware and were carved up. No surprises.

04.06.1920, Thanks God

Really wonder what could of happened if at the moment Austria became Austria-Hungary in 1867 it instead became a federation of Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Ruthenia (pols and Ukrainians) and Transylvania and adopted a similar constitution to the US, think it could still exist?

Though many tried, Charlemagne, Napoleon, Hitler etc., like iron and clay they would never stick together again. Then, the rock cut without human hands will establish an eternal kingdom.

It survive as of today . The place is Called Canada .. if there were no WWI and Russia they might still survive

Last fire seeds

Because every empire finally collapses.

Austria should have been allowed to Anschluss with Germany around 1918 - 1919 .

10:40 your map is inaccurate. The city was NOT Lviv, it was called Lemberg. Then it was renamed to Lwow because there were Polish who lived there, not Ukrainians. Ukrainians moved there after WW2 redrawing of broders.

Happy Serb noises

I can tell you watched the WW1 film from epic history because you literally use the same sentences that the narrator said

But what if Austria-Hungary was made of chocolate? Would it have collapsed then

The UK is on the same trajectory. Just watch.

7:23 _"The South Slavs were hoping to join Serbia"_ - incorrect. Serb minorities in Croatia and Bosnia were hoping to join Serbia. Which is why Gavrilo mugged Ferdinand in the first place. Bosniaks and Croats were proudly defending Austria-Hungary to the last day of war. Look up Bosniak regiments in the k.u.k. Armee.

Alan Sked, Istvan Deak, John Deak and others disagree, as I do. It was never an empire doomed to fail. Its collapse was not inevitable. It's only hindsight you are using to "prove" it was not viable.

Somebody really really really doesn’t want the various Balkan people’s united whatsoever.. monke stronger together, but fading from neglect.

Globally the tension, the emergence of national states the partitioning of Austria-Hungary were the primer interests of France. Consider French history: in the XIXth Century France was continuously beaten by Germany. Throughout the earlier centuries France almost always was hostile towards Austria or the Holy Roman Empire. Because of this France had numerous alliences with the Ottoman Empire, while the Turks were attacking the Habsbourgs. In WW1 France's nightmare came true: the Ottomans, Austrians and Germans all allied themselves and attacked French territory. So France's main diplomatic aim was to ensure none of the previous enemy empires stay intact and they all have one or more several thorns in their back. With the Ottoman Empire this meant the partition of the Ottomans territories (Lebanon, Syria, Algeria) and support of the Greeks in the Greco-Turkish war. With the Germans this meant the creation of Poland. With Austria-Hungary this meant the creation of new nation states and strenghtening the French ally Roumania. These countries became known as little Entente later, they were a constant threat to Hungary and Austria. Locally panslavism played a great role. This means that in Czechia, Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia there was a great cultural revival in the early 1900s. The slavic habits, slavic mythoses, culture were adored and inserted in their national canons. The slavic people were oppressed, their culture was considered less worthy, first by the Austrians and German culture, then by the Hungarians after 1867. The situation in Gallicia and southern Poland was another. Those areas were mainly inhabited by Poles, Ukranians and Jews. After WW1 that area was contested: the Red Army, the Polish Army and the Ukranians all wanted to subdue those territories. The third case was with Transylvania and Roumania. The population was approximatly 40% Roumanians, 30% Hungarians, 30% Germans. However the Roumanians were very lucky and cautious during the XXth Century. Just quickly retrospectively: they didn't join WW1 until it seemed that the Brusilov offensive will be succesfull. After that they were beaten severely and occupied by the Central powers. But they didn't sign any peace treaties, trusting that the Entente will win. Which occured and the Roumanians reentered the war, attacking Austria-Hungary. After the war they immediatly attacked Transylvania and captured it because the Hungarian army was disintegrating and Hungary became a short time communist dictatorship. During WW2 the Germans gave parts of Transylvania back to Hungary (there was almost another Hungarian-Roumanian war). After supporting the Axis until 1944, the Roumanians switched sides and attacked. So they got Transylvania back again. Overall, it was not realistic to keep Austria-Hungary together, even as a federation. There were too many territories, each speaking another language. Even with Franz Ferdinand not assasinated and his solution of a 3 power center based empire (slavic countries, Austria, Hungary), the situation of for example the Croats (almost autonomous) and the Slovaks (no autonomy at all) was too different. People in Galicia, South Poland had no real interests to fight for such an empire. The Hungarian PM István Tisza knew that WW1 will be the death sentence of the Empire. Attacking and eventually conquering Serbia would have only brought another slavic nation to the Empire, which was even then unable to deal with the others already within its borders.

What if it was made of chocolate

the map is wrong. The German Empire had Alsace-Lorraine,not France

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whenever you mess with croats and serbs, you find yourself in such a mess without realizing how it even began, well..

Finally was Czechia free! (Till the Münich betrayal 😭)

I'm nearly seventy years old. I am an "American" and proud to be so, BUT . . . I cannot deny the numerous hypocritical actions my nation has taken throughout history. 🤷‍♂

Diversity was their strength

To scede from the empire was not the will of Hungarians. Károlyi was leading a social democratic dictatorship and he was installed trough a revolution a revolution what was orchestrated by freemasons of the Martinovich lodge.

the proto EU

Austro-Hungria colapso más por los Factores externos que el de los Internos. Era la UE de los Balcanes de su momento.

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The bias is palpable.

Bă deci nu îmi vine să cred că acest canal este făcut de de de la dedo

Pls restore Austria-Hungary as Danubian Union❤❤😢

This empire should have never fell apart. 😪