Austria-Hungary

From Turtledove

Austria-Hungary is a Central European empire ruled by the Hapsburg family. It was formed by the union of the kingdoms of Austria and Hungary.

[edit] Austria-Hungary in Curious Notions

Austria-Hungary was a close ally of Imperial Germany, and so freer than other countries in the world.

[edit] Austria-Hungary in Southern Victory

Austria-Hungary was a founding member of the Central Powers along with the United States and Germany.

In 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo by a Serbian nationalist. Austria-Hungary issued a series of ultimata against Serbia relating to the incident, and Serbia, supported by Russia, refused some of these. Austria-Hungary invoked the Central Powers defensive alliance, Russia (also claiming this was a defensive war though it had not been directly threatened by Vienna) invoked the Entente, and the Great War began.

Austria-Hungary won the Great War but found itself losing prestige and being eclipsed by Germany in influence. After the incorporation of Serbia into the Dual Monarchy, restive South Slavs and other minorities remained rebellious; only the Austrians and more lukewarm Hungarians supported the Hapsburgs.

When the Second Great War began in 1941, Austria-Hungary once again allied itself with the Central Powers. However, it was a very multicultural empire, and many of its ethnic minorities, including the Bosnians, Serbs and Romanians, rose up against the imperial authority, supported by Russia. Some of the violent minority nationalist groups made use of people bombs in an attempt to further their cause.

Austria-Hungary's physicists collaborated with Germany's in an effort to build a superbomb during the Second Great War, which bore fruit in 1944.

[edit] Austria-Hungary in The Disunited States of America

Austria-Hungary still held together, although it had not been a great world power for some time.

For Austria-Hungary in all other works, see Austria and Hungary.