Sprawa wysłania okupacyjnych wojsk brytyjskich do Austrii Niemieckiej (1918-1919)
Streszczenie
The armistice signed on 3rd November 1918 between the Entente and Austria-Hungary
contained the clause giving the Allied troups the possibility of free movement through the
territory (roads, railways and waterways) of the former Habsburg monarchy and the occupation
of the most important strategic points to continue further war with Germany or to keep
order. The British soldiers were regarded to be the best forces to participate in such military
operations. The propositions of occupation of Vienna and other main places of German
Austria were coming from different sides.
The first request was announced by the French government. Marshal Foch, the main
supporter of the military intervention in Vienna, wated the British troups gathered in
southern Europe under the command of gen. Franchet d’Esperey to go to Budapest and
Vienna. It was to be only „the march of glory” of the winners. But the French were going
to eliminate Italian army from this expedition, because the real reason was to enlarge the
French influence in Central Europe. However the British government, during their disscutions
in November 1918, did not agree to send their troups.
The second, very unclear proposition of the military intervention came from Austrian
Foreign Office. Otto Bauer, the head of the foreign service of the newly bom republic, wanted
to prevent The Yugoslav or Italian occupation of Carinthia. Yugoslavs and Italians, fighting
against each other, were going to improve their strategic position and Austrian diplomacy
intended to avoid such an issue. But no British soldier was sent to Klagenfurt and Villach.
The British troups were asked once again to come to Vienna after the announcement the
Soviet Republic in Hungary on 21st March 1919. The strong anti-socialist circles (the
Catholics and the supporters of the ex-Emperor) demanded the expedition of the British
soldiers to Austria to avoid the same solution there and to constrain the socialist power. But
there were no British troups ready to go to Vienna in the nearest of this capital. It was the
main reason of non-intervention politics of London Foreign Office. The British diplomats
decided only to threaten the Austrian government to stop all food supplies in the case of
communist coup d’etat. That argument allowed to keep order in Austria in April 1919.
British government were very unwilling to send their troups to Austria. And that was
one of the main reasons of lack of stability in Central Europe in the first months after the
world war I.
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