The disintegration of the
Austro-Hungarian monarchy
What is the disintegration of the Austro
-Hungarian monarchy?
• The dissolution of Austria-Hungary was a major geopolitical event that
occurred as a result of the growth of internal social contradictions and the
separation of different parts of Austria-Hungary. The reason for the collapse of the
state was World War I, the 1918 crop failure and the economic crisis.The 1917
October Revolution and the Wilsonian peace pronouncements from January
1918 onward encouraged socialism on the one hand, and nationalism on the
other, or alternatively a combination of both tendencies, among all peoples of the
Habsburg monarchy.
• The remaining territories inhabited by divided peoples fell into the composition of
existing or newly formed states. Legally, the collapse of the empire was
formalized in the September 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye with Austria,
which also acted as a peace treaty after the First World War, and in the June
1920 Treaty of Trianon with Hungary.
• Source:Wikipedia
How did nationalism break up the AustroHungarian empire?
The Austro-Hungarian Empire consisted of two parts: Austria and Hungary. Each
part had its parliament, its prime minister, and its cabinet. However, the
emperor (or king) was the head of both parts and had the power to veto any law
passed by either parliament. The empire was created in 1867 when the ruler of
Austria, Franz Joseph, merged his country with the kingdom of Hungary. At first,
it was a very happy union. But over time, the different nationalities within the
empire began to fight with each other.
Source:Internet
DISINTEGRATION OF THE KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA
Two main causes of the collapse of the 1918-41 Kingdom of Yugoslavia are
the failed economic unity and undemocratic rule.
1. In the aftermath of the WWI the Yugoslav state as a whole was among most
underdeveloped European countries. Three-quarters of the Yugoslav
workforce was engaged in agriculture. A few commercial farmers existed, but
most were subsistence peasants. Those in the south were especially poor, living
in a hilly, infertile region. No large estates existed except in the north, and all of
those were owned by foreigners.
2. New formed South-Slavic nations union have been a response to nations’ calls
for freedom and equality but it resulted with the type of governance and the
system that would meet needs of the one: Serbs, with biggest population. On
January 6, 1929, King Aleksandar I Karađorđević dissolved the National
Assembly, banned the work of all political parties and trade unions, political
gatherings, introduced censorship, and changed the name of the country to
the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The King unhesitatingly moved from screened
dictatorship to overt absolutism.
• In the period from 1921 to 1941 in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, various
political and revolutionary movements that operate illegally are gaining
strength.
• King Alexander II Karađorđević was assassinated in Marseille, during his
visit to France in 1934. The crown passed to his 11-year-old son Peter.
• Alexander's cousin Paul ruled as Prince regent until 1941.
• Fearing an invasion by the Axis powers, Yugoslavia signed the Tripartite Pact
on 25 March 1941, pledging cooperation with the Axis. Massive anti-Axis
demonstrations followed in Belgrade.
• On 27 March 1941, the regime of Prince Paul was overthrown by a military
coup d'état and The Kingdom of Yugoslavia withdrew its support for the
Axis de facto without formally renouncing the Tripartite Pact.
• On 6 April 1941, the Axis powers launched the invasion of Yugoslavia and
quickly conquered it. The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was soon divided by the
Axis into several entities.
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