Chapter 0950: The Emperor's Roar
Vienna, Austro-Hungarian Empire, General Staff Headquarters. Emperor Karl I had personally arrived to assess the unfolding war situation. After all, this conflict directly determined the very survival of the Austro-Hungarian Empire—and, by extension, his own fate. Thus, he followed the course of the war with immense concern.
"Your Highness, Chief of Staff, I have already contacted the Americans. They have assured me that their navy will soon set sail for the eastern Atlantic to coordinate operations with our fleet and the German navy. As long as our army can hold out for a month, American ground forces will arrive on the battlefield. Their standing army already exceeds two million troops, and with full mobilization, their forces could expand even further. If that happens, we stand a real chance of defeating the Germans!" Karl I remained optimistic.
In his view, even if Austria-Hungary could not match Germany in sheer strength, enduring for a month should not pose an insurmountable challenge. After all, on the European continent—indeed, in the entire world—Austria-Hungary was the second-greatest military power, surpassed only by Germany.
However, Archduke Friedrich and Field Marshal Baron Conrad von Hötzendorf wore grim expressions. Clearly, they did not share Karl I's confidence in this war. Admitting that the Austro-Hungarian Army might not even be capable of holding off the Germans for a month was humiliating, but facts could not be ignored—especially when the very existence of the empire was at stake.
What baffled them most was why Karl I had unilaterally agreed to the Americans' terms without consulting them. Had they been informed in advance, they would have firmly opposed the conditions he had accepted.
"Your Majesty, we will do our utmost to resist the German advance," Field Marshal Conrad von Hötzendorf responded.
Yet, given the dire circumstances, he dared not make absolute guarantees. After all, their enemy was the dominant power of the world.
Karl I frowned, yearning for a definitive answer. But the marshal's cautious response left him dissatisfied. Deep inside, he resolved that once this crisis was over, he would find an opportunity to replace Hötzendorf with someone more compliant—someone who would follow orders without hesitation. Only then could he truly wield control over the Austro-Hungarian military. And if an emperor could not even command his own army, what kind of ruler was he?
"Report! The German army has crossed the border and entered our territory!" an officer announced.
"What? Damn those Germans! They have actually invaded Austria-Hungary! We must not let them get away with this!" Karl I roared in fury.
"What is the situation?" Archduke Friedrich inquired.
"Your Highness, the Germans have dispatched two army groups, advancing from Bavaria along two routes into our territory. They are now marching toward Vienna. Additionally, two more German army groups have entered the Kingdom of Bohemia," the officer reported.
"Four army groups—eighty thousand troops. The Germans have committed such a massive force all at once!" Both Archduke Friedrich and Field Marshal Hötzendorf turned pale.
Though the German army's total strength exceeded two million, a significant portion was already deployed in Australia, stationed in India, France, and the Eastern European plains. The number of troops they could mobilize for this campaign was, in theory, limited. Yet now, Germany had deployed four entire army groups in a single offensive, signaling their full commitment to the war.
Defeating these 800,000 German soldiers would be no small feat for the Austro-Hungarian Army.
However, to everyone's surprise, Karl I seemed relieved.
"Your Highness, Chief of Staff—Germany has only sent 800,000 troops. We have two million! This time, we will surely defeat them!" he declared with excitement. The weight of anxiety that had burdened him suddenly lifted.
"Your Majesty, while we indeed have two million soldiers, the forces stationed across the empire cannot be easily redeployed. The number of troops we can actually mobilize is no more than 1.5 million. Even with a numerical advantage, defeating the Germans will be an immense challenge," Hötzendorf explained.
After all, the German army was far superior in combat capability. Even with twice their numbers, victory was by no means assured.
Karl I's brow furrowed, his confidence wavering. He was growing increasingly disillusioned with the Austro-Hungarian Army's effectiveness.
"If that is the case, then we must mobilize further! We need more troops to defeat the Germans! Within three months, we can expand the army from two million to four million!" he declared.
With a population of 40 to 50 million, Austria-Hungary could indeed muster four million troops through conscription. But such mobilization required time—time the empire might not have.
Just then, another grim report arrived.
"Report! The Kingdom of Bohemia's army has voluntarily abandoned the border and surrendered to the Germans. The enemy is now advancing unimpeded through Bohemia!"
"What? How is this possible?"
Karl I and the others were utterly stunned. No one had expected such a betrayal at the very outset of the war.
"Damn it! What is Grand Duke of Bohemia thinking? Is he turning his back on the empire? Does he not fear being sent to the gallows for treason?" Karl I was livid. For the first time, he felt the situation spiraling completely out of his control—slipping beyond even his grasp.
Archduke Friedrich and Field Marshal Hötzendorf also looked deeply unsettled. The defection of Bohemia had cost Austria-Hungary nearly one-fifth of its strength before the real battle had even begun. How were they supposed to resist the Germans now?
And the bad news did not end there.
"Report! Baron Tóth, the Chief of Staff of the Hungarian Army, has issued orders for all Hungarian troops to remain in their barracks and refrain from mobilizing."
"What?"
The room fell into stunned silence.
Hungary was one of the most powerful constituent nations of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. If it remained neutral, the empire would instantly lose over a third of its effective military strength.