So not later the day, but still... might or might not find the time to post something in the evening. Including even some mild post-war spoilers.
Fiat CR.30
Role: Fighter
National Origin: Italy
Manufacturer: Fiat
First Flight: 1928
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 7.68m
Wingspan: 9.9m
Height: 2.77m
Wing area: 26.3m²
Empty weight: 1432kg
Gross weight: 1912kg
Max takeoff weight: 2100kg
Fuel capacity: 350l
Powerplant: 1xFiat A.30 V12 engine 600hp
Propellers: 2-blade propeller
Performance
Maximum speed: 360 km/h
Range: 700km
Service ceiling: 8,500m
Rate of climb: 8.8m/s
Armament
2x 7,7mm Vicker machine guns
100kg of bombs
In many ways the Austro-Italian war was considered the end of the biplane. In the after war analysis all over the world, the decisive advantage of Austrian modern monoplanes stood out again often obsolete Italian biplanes. While some projects already in the works continued out of planning and prototype stages to serial production, aside from the odd transport, recon or bomber aircraft, no specifications for new ones were given.
In many ways this was a disservice to the concept of biplanes. The Fiat CR.30, introduced only shortly before the war and brought into full production by Balbo's emergency build programs was in many ways the equal and in a few ways even better than their opponents the F-S 28. What it suffered from were the force concentration achieved by Austria via doctrine and Funkmeß as well as green pilots, a critical problem of the Regia Aeronautica owned to crippling losses early in the war.
Due to limitations imposed by the peace treaty and the new political reality in Italy, the CR.30 stayed in production after the war. Improvements were incorporated into the aircraft, making later marks nearly unrecognisable from the already excellent early versions. This allowed them to stay viable as a front line fighter for nearly a decade in a quickly changing threat environment.
While early marks had their competitors, the late ones without doubt are the finest biplane fighters ever built.
Aside from Italy, a small number of other countries operated CR.30s. Fiat aircraft branch was basically kept in business via the complex internal politics of post war Italy, allowing them to sell their fighters just barely over production cost, making them an interesting proposition to some countries.
In many ways the Ba.24 was the complete opposite of it's main contemporary, the Fiat CR.30. A low wing monoplane, it stood out as the first all aluminium fighter aircraft in service world wide, explaining the nickname 'Metallico'. Breda had been experimenting with aluminium rail stock for several years, when they decided to take existing plans for aircraft and apply the methods to it as well, exchanging wood for aluminium construction.
In many ways a world beater, it wasn't well liked by pilots, being seen as temperamental. Hated by new recruits, in the hands of the remaining veteran fighter pilots the aircraft often were able to claim a disparate amount of kills.
Aside from it's unforgiving handling, it also suffered from delays in production again and again, due to it's complicated construction method. Even with Balbo's decision to focus very much on aircraft production, there were never more than 30 'Metallico's in service at any one time.
After the war, Breda produced the Ba.24 and several of it's follow on models for the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, where they again saw combat.
On the all aluminium thing... I'm not actually sure. So many planes make the claim, all the way back to WWI. Some I could confirm that they were something else (i.e. structural parts with aluminium and/or steel, covered in wood or fabric, especially the wings. Bodies were more likely to be metal.) but others I didn't dig in deep enough. As far as the public is concerned, if there is another all aluminium fighter produced earlier, it doesn't count because it didn't fight in a war.
Another one out of chronological order...
And again, not entirely happy with that one. I don't think I've nailed the tone I wanted. Eh, whatever.
Tales from the Homefront, Story 1, Part 3
Late April 1929
"Yes, yes I'm aware. Now about those Scots that passed through your barracks yesterday." Susanna continued at the phone. The idiot on the other end seemed to be able to think of nothing better than flirt with her.
"No, I'm not interested in a date. Those Lee-Enfields they had, you put them down as 8mm. Lee-Enfields are standard .303. If they were rechambered we need an exact calibre, not just 8mm." she continued, the idiot on the other end still hadn't realised his new reality.
"You must realise that I am taking notes, aren't you?" she finally added sweetly, "If any of those Scots should die due to lack of proper ammunition, I'll make certain the survivors get to meet you at your court martial."
She heard the men on the other end gulp. He'd obviously been an office drone somewhere, probably somewhere where he only ever encountered woman in church. Of the already married variant. And thankfully for to many of that kind the possibility of facing a firing squad still brought them up short. Unfortunately it had become a familiar spiel.
"Very well Ms. Nowak. I'm certain they are still around here somewhere. I will return with the information shorts." he finally relented, before hastily hanging up.
Susanna then looked up, seeing Elisabeth watching her amused.
"You want to ask me on a date too?" she asked somewhat acridly.
"Nah, you're a bit young for my taste." she replied quickly, before handing over something, "It finally made it's way through the bureaucracy. Congratulations acting-Lieutenant Nowak."
"Uh what?" she asked.
"Just so. It'll give you the authority you need. And it lets the military get their hooks deeper into you, considering you are serving less than thirty centimetres away from one of the most classified machines I know of." she amusedly told her.
"But the papers..." Susanna weakly protested. There were trials, there was a conservative outcry. The Chancellor had apparently been called into the nunciature, so that he could personally hear the displeasure of the Holy See over the mere possibility of woman fighting as any kind of regular soldier.
"The laws were written the way they were for a reason. There are people high up who had some seriously apocalyptic scenarios in mind when they put those together. As hidden as we operate however there will be no attention from the papers for us. Not if those papers want to stay in business." Breitenstein lectured her.
And while woman like Anna Starhemberg publicly fought for their ability to contribute, others like her and Breitenstein were quietly added in the shadows.
"Anyway, that boyfriend of yours is cavalry, isn't he?" Elisabeth asked
"Yes," Susanna simply answered, confused.
"You know any of their remaining local officers? Useless wastes of air as most of them are." came the counter question.
"I think so. There is one that was injured in a training exercise that Alois claimed had complained fiercely about being left behind as the rest of the unit deployed. I might know others too, but I'm not sure who was left behind." Susanna answered.
"Good enough. They refuse to send their needed resupply orders by telephone. As if those weren't already sent by radio from the men in the field. Operational Security and all. I'll need you to run over and get them. If you're lucky they even recognise you and won't insist on a six hour interrogation." Elisabeth told her, "they tend to be softer on woman anyway..."
Susanna nodded, and got up to move. Elisabeth however nodded to the envelope: "Your gonna need that crap."
So some social commentary...
For the longest time employed woman in Austria were expected to be unmarried. In state service, or in the OTL 1930s overall (due to unemployment a anti-double-income law was passed), woman could be fired for marrying more or less. Notably primary school female teachers are still traditionally addressed as Fräulein, refering to a unmarried woman similar to "Miss" in English, no matter their actually status (or age). Still, in a number of jobs a lot of woman turned up. One of them the "Fräulein vom Amt", a unofficial title applied to the woman working the manual phone exchanges. I can't even imagine the amount of sexual harassment those woman faced.
Of course, in the snippet the overall situation doesn't help. The chaos, superiors usually having other duties... Yeah, it's not going to be easy being a woman trying to get anything done in that situation. Hence, a promotion. I've long since decided that Susanna will be one of those woman that will stay in the Army post war. But what else goes into that... Well even more spoilers.
Going through my notes I was surprised I hadn't posted this already... So here we go, while I continue to struggle with the two 'story' pieces that I want to get to (digital) paper.
Edstadler, Helmut (1999): Progress. A century in Innovation, Brünn: Graff
Funkmeß-Peilung and Radio
Austria-Hungary was one of the first powers to use radio for military purpose. Shortly after Marconi's experimental beaming of signal over the English channel the k.u.k. Navy started their own test of radiotelegraphy. However most of the inventors that were invited to these tests did not stem from the Dual Monarchy.
Not long after radios were adopted for use by the k.u.k. Navy, the Italian Navy followed suit. Shortly after the Navy then started to develop radio-cryptography capabilities, something that would have follow on effects, even after Austria became landlocked.
It was after the Great War that civilian radio broadcasting became a thing. By 1921 Oskar Czeija started operating what would long afterwards be designated a pirate radio. In 1924 he moved into the building of the former War Ministry, and used their radio antenna to broadcast his now officially sanctioned radio. On air known as "Radio Wien", it was operated as a public company, the RAVAG. Within a year this radio broadcasts could reach more than 140.000 people.
By 1927 the state became more involved. They started operating a public broadcasting service, though it's broadcast times were limited, and content was mostly restricted to news, public announcements and on occasion parliamentary debates. It wasn't a real competition to the private stations existing, who had done such innovative things as broadcasting live concerts or sporting events before that. What it did however was provide more and more powerful broadcasting antennas, extending the until then very patchwork areas where radio could be received.
On the other side of this phenomena was radio receivers. With Kapsch a large domestic producer existed, though their radio sets were expensive. A significant part of the expense could be cut as the electrical grid expanded, since batteries were not just expensive, they were a reoccurring expanse.
Still, radios spread quickly, not at least once the State started to offer a subsidy on their purchase. Both subsidy as well as the public broadcasting service had been introduced under the impression of the 1926 Rhine floods, widely reported on in papers, cinema news reels and of course radio. While those had barely affected Vorarlberg unlike areas further down the river, impressions of the 1899 event on the Danube were still fresh, and the argument that a public broadcaster could if needed inform and warn all day long, was at least officially cited as a reason for the legislation.
It was in 1924 that Kapsch hired Josip Sliskovic, while he was still a student at the Technical University of Vienna. He was credited with several advances built by the company, including the first grid powered radio set, the first radio set with speakers integrated as well as the first experimental television set. Despite all of this, by early 1927 he was hired out of his position as head of Radio and Amplifier technology, to a government military research program.
While at the time top secret, we know now that it was this program that produced Funkmeß technology. While the fact that metal objects could be detected with radio waves was known since Hülsmeyer's experiment in 1904, it's use in aircraft detection was only slowly realised. However once it was, just as in other countries, it had caught the imagination of Austrian military researchers as an early warning system, and so they looked and found an expert in Sliskovic. The first Funkmeß-Peilungsgerät was using metric wavelengths and was quietly tested in August 1927, clearly detecting a AR.1 aircraft. While most details are still classified, it is known that by the time the Austro-Italian war started, the seventh generation of the device, codenamed "Septimus" was deployed. Over the course of the war several of the device were emplaced in strategic position. When it's existence quickly became known after the war, it in turn revealed parallel projects by many other nations around the world. Though it is difficult to say who had the more advanced system, since details on the early Austrian systems are still classified.
Czeija, RAVAG, Kapsch and Sliskovic are all things that broadly existed in OTL - I did play around with details quite a lot however.
Resistance from the Italians had been very uneven. The Schützen ran into some fanatical resistance at San Giovanni, taking heavy losses, but all but wiping out the opposing Italian company and heavily damaging the city. It was odd after the run of luck we had had. I managed to stay unharmed, but several men that had become friends were wounded or even killed. At other places however the Italians simply melted away or even surrendered.
The trend held true when Austrian Regulars arrived at Bologna shortly before we did. In the city open street fighting was going on, students and workers and some soldiers fighting in the streets against other soldiers and blackshirts. Some mistakes were made, but the city was pacified fairly quickly, though I learned that soon after we left a radical university council dominated by the students took control of the city, causing some grief. More to the post war Italian State than the Austrian occupiers who humoured them as long as supplies kept flowing through the important railway junction.
At Bologna a central part of the Austrian narrative was shaped. I noticed the hushed meeting between a lot of officers of all kinds that happened during the few days we waited for the supply situation to normalise. While nominally a surprise to everyone, the meeting that was called was in all certainty theatrics.
On the plaza in front of the central railway station a large amount of people were gathered. Locals and journalists shared the worst positions at the back, though some had acquired space in some of the buildings bordering the plaza. I myself had managed better, me and my camera were on one of the flat roofs of the station building itself, together with a mixed colourful group of Schützen from all over both parts of Tyrol. Down on the plaza itself were more fighting man. Ranks and ranks of Regulars, Shadow Army and even Conscripts of the Austrian Army, 'Volunteers' in Czech Army uniforms, Heimwehr and Schutzbund, Freicorps and Stahlhelm, French Socialists and Greek Royalists, and many more, all neatly lined up.
I was surprised when Johann Friedländer, the ranking General present, frankly and openly started to discuss future plans. He laid out the advance to the west, first to reinforce the troops fighting in Ferrara, before moving on the Ravenna and then south between the Apennines and the Adriatic. To the east the thrust would go on to Parma and then further, taking Pavia and Novara to encircle the very strong, and probably hand picked, forces defending Milan. The whole speech was slow and dry, being repeated in several languages by translators. Even into Italian. It was theatre at it's finest.
"But that's just one path we can take." he suddenly interrupted his own speech.
"France had just decided to fully mobilise it's Army." he continued, causing the less disciplined troops and the local civilians who had been talking to fall silent.
After a pause to allow this to sink in he continued: "Italo Balbo however still seems committed to continue this war. Continue it to the last drop of Italian blood. So say, Soldiers, Brothers, Austrians! What do you want? Fighting a slow, grinding war, spilling the blood of the unwilling? Or should we do something different? Something else? Shall we have our very own 'March on Rome'? Shall we move forwards, seizing those dragging out this war, to finally end this? Or at least, force them to flee, robbing them of their last shred of legitimacy? Say again, my Brothers in Arms? Shall we Move? Move fast, to the south? To end this war once and for all?
A cheer broke out amongst the soldiers, and a legend was born.
Not happy with the speech. And well, that was the thing that kept me working on this for a long time. I knew roughly what I wanted it to contain, but not how to write it. This might even sound like something that could have been spoken in the 20s or 30s, in the style of the time, then badly translated to English.
I'm still not really happy with it however.
Friedländer was an OTL person. Yeah, I usually don't use them too much. Not sure what's his exact rank here, but OTL he retired in 1937 as Feldmarschalleutnant. He was "just" an Oberst in OTL 1929, but with the larger size and all pretence going out of the window with a war on, I'd assume he'd be higher than that. Well, there is a reason I left it ambiguous.
OTL however his eventual fate was less happy than it will be TTL. As far as I found his father had been of Jewish birth, but converted to Catholicism. The same was true for his wife's parent. To the Nazis that mean he wasn't just 'half-Jewish' but was treated as fully Jewish. He was executed on the death march to 'evacuate' Auschwitz in the face of Soviet advance in January 1945.
It's just, the war is still short, only two months. (Though if I even do a rewrite I'll de-compress it a bit more, but even then the speech at Bologna would happen some four-five months in.) While a lot of the north has seen things happen - mostly forced recruitment into any unskilled labour that could help with producing war making material and or defensive positions; and/or occupation - there are large parts in the south where the nearest Austrian soldier had been more than hundred kilometres away, and even then they were lone cavalry/special forces doing their thing. Some diversion in the economy, but seeing as it is more agricultural, maybe a delay on delivering some tools, but no significant disruption. No starvation, no conscription, no total war economy. (Unlike Austria, where worst case plans were activated, that were based on the idea of a fully mobilized Nazi Germany coming knocking)
And even as the Regio Esercito had been hammered again and again, causing moral to be very brittle, there are still those who believe in victory. More so in Rome, where Balbo after an internal power struggle managed to surround himself by loyalists, that contained a few to many yes-men. But the war has been on for so short a time...
Yes, in many ways terms will be dictated at the peace conference, with Austrian troops in Rome, France occupying the north-west, Yugoslavia making a naval landing with little preparation, that succeeds more down to luck than anything else, Siciliy and other parts of the south in open rebellion....But considering the age, in my opinion, even short to medium term dissolving Italy would only be asking for trouble. Occupying, let alone annexing would be difficult, balkanisation would only keep as long as outside pressure is applied...
Without giving everything away, Italy will survive. Not in OTL borders, but it will be left as something even the contemporaries consider a viable state. See also hints and bits placed all over. Most recently, I think, in the fluff on the CR.30 - still produced post war (into the 40s to extend that a bit) in Turin for the Italian Air Force. (Though maybe I should have included that as currently planned, one of the operators of that one will be Ethiopia, just to satisfy my kind of humour. Despite it's reputation, at least to the mid 30s it will stay a respectable combatant, and not least due to it's reputation, one of the cheapest offerings on the market.)
Meierhofer, Gebhard (1979): Militia and Volunteer Fighters in the Austro-Italian War, Vienna: Amalthea
Czechoslovak Volunteers
Czechoslovakia provided a much needed early source of well organised military formations to the Austrians. Both the Sudetendeutsche Heimwehr (only loosely connected to the Austrian Heimwehren) and the Republikanische Schutzbund (Abteilung Tschechien) came with their own transports, command structure, signals and artillery formations, very much unlike the bulk of volunteer formations. This came as a surprise even to many in Czechoslovakia, but the government had been aware of how capable those formations were.
An even more important contribution however were the two brigades the Czechoslovak military deployed to Austria, one armoured and one mechanised infantry. Again, those formations came with outsized support formations, including a small fighter and close air support complement.
The mechanised infantry brigade certainly was made up of well trained personnel and fit in quickly and easily with the Austrian regulars they fought alongside. The armoured brigade however captured the attention of the local and international press. Their machines were prominently shown again and again, both photogenic and effective. Their contributions in defeating the Italian counter-attack in the Veneto, and then the city fighting in Treviso certainly were well reported.
Made up of one Regiment of tanks and one Regiment of mechanised infantry, often in field modified trucks that can be considered proto-APCs, the front line troops were backed up by a reconnaissance squadron equipped with armoured cars, 3 batteries of self propelled guns and a battery of towed heavy mortars.
With their heavy integrated artillery and good speed they were repeatedly called up to break through strong points and other prepared defensive positions that couldn't just be outmanoeuvred. In a bit of irony on at least two occasions they assaulted pre-prepared trench positions from behind, overrunning first the artillery and support formations, before delivering their infantry directly into the trenches, making good use of Strumtruppen tactics and their new body armour.
The Armoured Brigade took part in the southern push across the Po Valley, leaving them well placed to volunteer for the March on Rome, often contributing the armoured tip on that mission.
While held back at the beginning of the war, the Mechanised Infantry Brigade took front line duties right aside the Austrian infantry quickly after the front open up, both across the Veneto and the Po Valley. Notable actions included the fighting around Padua, Cremona and finally the city fighting in Milano.
The Sudentengerman paramilitary formations took very similar duties to Austrian Shadow Army formations, often enough fighting in the front lines themselves, but mostly with Regular Army formations kept close enough that they could interfere. Since by design the Schutzbund formations had come with an excess of artillery, those spread among their Austrian brethren, ensuring more flexibility.
As the war went on, more Czechoslovak 'volunteers' arrived. Being as they were often members of their military on extended leave, often even with equipment, they were welcomed with open arms. Well equipped and trained, they provided a core for green volunteer or even conscript formations or were deployed as small formations for front line duty.
A special focus there should be given to the ever growing Czechoslovak Expeditionary Air Force, that showed that their aircraft were every bit as modern or better than their Austrian, Swiss and Italian counterparts, leading to increased interested in the post-war years, especially in France.
While officially all volunteers, the presence of whole military formations, and the supportive attitude of the Czechoslovak government to their volunteers leads many scholars to consider the nation a co-belligerent from the start of the conflict, especially with hindsight of post war developments.
Can you tell that those were three different snippets at one point, two written quite a long time ago? Yeah, not entirely happy, and it's probably still possible to see the seems. I certainly do.
That one had been held back in large part to March on Rome references. Not sure if it was worth it.
Early drafts of this one were going far more into the cost of total mobilisation. This, this is a bit more of everything and less of others. I'm even halfway happy with how it turned out. Surprise.
Tales from the Homefront, Ferdinand, Part 2
late April
Ferdinand quickly signed off the delivery the young boy had brought by. From the armband with the Chi-Rho he could tell that that one was one of the Jungschar. The boy was fifteen at best and should have been in school. It was easy to tell, because those that were already on a vocational path were working overtime at the moment, not playing messenger.
It was just one more sign of the shocking speed at witch the country had switched to total mobilisation. Reading over the telegram he wince. He quickly moved over to the door to the inner office, knocked and then entered without waiting.
Julius Deutsch looked up from the papers he was reading, seemingly startled. Ferdinand didn't let him speak first.
"Julius," he said as he handed the telegram over "We've got another one."
Deutsch read it, then cursed: "That makes how many? Twenty-five?"
"Twenty-Seven, unless I missed one." Ferdinand replied.
Deutsch hesitated for a moment, then responded: "Many of those would happen no matter what we do. Genuine accidents, material failure, people simply being dumb. But the speed of the mobilisation just makes it worse."
He looked out the window, watching the Ring*. Usually the road would be filled with promenaders, with people sitting outside the cafes enjoying the early spring sun. Between them the increasingly common automobiles, honking their horns at the trams that the drivers perceived as obstacles.
Today however the few people out where either old, moving with serious purpose, or in one prominent case, recruits from the nearby Stiftskaserne. Most of them were still wearing civilian clothing, only their armbands, caps and of course their movement identifying them.
"We are moving too fast." Deutsch finally allowed "Errors, errors we'd catch. Obvious illnesses, people unsuited, or simply the haste in trying to train them. You found out what happened to that guy with the 19th Division?"
"Suicide, it sounds like." Ferdinand replied soberly "Took some doing to get them to admit it and they are still using weasel words."
"I see." Deutsch asked. "Any specifics?"
Ferdinand shrugged: "Great War veteran. Wounded in Serbia, then after recovery reassigned to the Eastern Front. Got caught there, might have already been… a bit tired. Was in a prisoner camp in the Far East, from where he more or less had to fight his own way home during their Civil War. Arrived back home only eight years ago. Worked at his brothers farm. No real social contacts outside of that. No woman in his live. Supposedly left a note. 'Can't do it again.'"
Deutsch closed his eyes then nodded: "Unfortunate. But also unfortunately common enough. Something we could, should look out for, but at this pace?"
"For what it's worth, his unit was slanted for garrison duty in Salzburg." Ferdinand replied.
"And we can't have a cog turn too slow in the machine, can we?" Deutsch then added "We need the veterans, without their experience the whole thing comes crashing down on us. But too many of them carry wounds. Some of them obvious."
At that he nodded to Ferdinand's own walking stick, before he continued: "But for far too many the wounds aren't so obvious."
Shaking his head, he then looked Ferdinand in the eyes: "You know, at first I called Theodor* a traitor, when he stayed on as Generalinspekteur after the CS took over. Then he suddenly became my best friend again, once he supported my own schemes with the Schutzbund and then some. Now, now that I see what he'd been up to I have to ask myself just where he stands..."
He hesitated for a second then continued: "Unlike some of my friends, some of my party, I never was a pacifist. And I though I was reasonably well informed. I always knew the Heimwehr, let alone the Sturmschaar and the Bundesheer were better equipped than the Schutzbund. Better trained in the later cases too, most likely. Even with the artillery batteries we thought we managed to rise on the sly over in Czechoslovakia."
He gave a laughed at that, then added: "But now? Now that I can see just what had been done? Warehouses in Prague, Brünn and Pilsen, in Zürich, St Gallen and St. Margrethen filled with guns and tanks and planes just waiting for the word. Great War vintage gear turning up in seemingly every attic and cellar all throughout the country. Munition worker that have been working half-shifts at full pay for years without us my own party noticing, only to now go to double shifts. A plan for total mobilisation in a matter of a few short months. And the insane thing? It hasn't imploded yet, after weeks of running full speed. And I get the feeling, more and more, that the Italians will curse that they thought that they could deal with little Austria without similar measures."
"And yet, the human cost..." he then trailed off.
"Something to consider once we have headroom again." Ferdinand replied.
After a few seconds of silence, Ferdinand checked his watch, and added: "You've got a meeting with Seipel and Mehr over in the Kanzleramt in half an hour. Better get ready for that."
"Right. Later." Deutsch agreed, though his voice was laced with doubt.
Ferdinand returned a crooked smile at that.
*Theodor Körner, trained as a Pioneer, served the Great War as a General in Serbia and Italy, then was entrusted with rebuilding the Austrian Army after St. Germain, a self described social-democrat for most of his life, even if he only joined the party after retiring from the military (of course, OTL he was 'retired' in 1924, here he is kept in place longer; one of the things that helps deescalate a lot of tension between the two parties; OTL he also joined the SP in 1924; kept his head down during the the years of the dictatorship and the Nazi rule as a military theoretician in his ivory tower (not that it always worked) to then go on to be the first post war major of Vienna and then the first elected post war President of the Republic of Austria)
Reminder that WWI was only a decade ago TTL. The nation needs Great War veterans as the backbone of the Army that went from zero to total war in a week. There are enough people out there that will go to the muster with heavy hearts. Some will even feel that they just can't do that again. Some were filtered out. More will be during training. Even more will be reassigned to non-combat, backline duty.
The number of 'negligent discharges' however will be high. Stories will be spun, because if nothing else, the country is still deeply catholic, suicide is sin.
And that's not even going into medical issues and the like that we still sometimes miss in 2021 (Offhand the last conscript in Austria that died to something like that was only two years ago). Total mobilisation, even on a plan will play merry hell there.
Also, don't worry, there is trouble brewing with all those paramilitary formations post war. (Who ever thought it was a good idea to let them have heavy guns? (Uh, yeah...) Czechoslovakia at least had plans to disarm them quickly and comprehensively and had tight control of the ammunition supply pre-war...)
nice i wonder if we can get a perspective from one of those that thought austria (what was left of the habsburg empire) couldnt survive on its own and how they had to revise their opinion
nice i wonder if we can get a perspective from one of those that thought austria (what was left of the habsburg empire) couldnt survive on its own and how they had to revise their opinion
That 'le reste c'est l'Autriche' myth is well, a myth. A politically lionized myth at that.
Economists and politicians perpetuating it to a large part knew it was a myth. Austria could be made viable after the peace treaty, it would just need work. Work that would be needed less if more concessions were made to 'Deutsch-Österreich'. Say some of the southern industrialised areas of Czechia up to Brünn. Or Küstenland and Krain, for proper sea access. Or simply unification with Germany.
It's in many ways the populist politicians easy solution tied up in all that.
Though I'd have to read up on it again, to see if I can find the hardcore proponents of it, to see what their thinking was.
Politically, in this ATL, it has played less of a role. Immediately after the peace treaties? Yes. But from there, some things have changed quite quickly, leading to a more prosperous Austria from pretty much the get go. I.e. Gold from (ASB induced) mining in the Tauern area paid for food imports, so far less kids starved in the post war years. Employment was high enough that 'migrant workers' weren't seen as a large problem. All that.
Brown, Daniel (1977): Austrian Youth Movements and Organisations, in: Social History, Year 12, Nr 3
In the second half of the 19th century the German, urban, bourgeoisie youth increasingly started to be organised. While youth had always needed a way to be kept occupied, be it self- or adult organised, social changes changed that as well. Together with an increasing fascination especially in urban areas with nature and what was considered to be a rustic, natural lifestyle, many of those organisations included ways to escape the cities.
The most successful of those movements was the Wandervogel. Literally it means wandering bird, evoking images of travelling, vagabonds and freedom. The originally stated goal of the Wandervogel was to organise hiking tours (wandern=hiking), something that quickly spread. With the help of adults it became on of the first government recognised organisation of it's kind. In many way it was rebellious, admitting both male and female members, rebelling against social norms. In others, it was ideologically aligned with the urban bourgeoisie, staunchly liberal and nationalist.
The first organised Wandervogel groups in Austria were founded in 1911, and quickly spread across all parts of the empire, though they tended to stay mostly German in nature.
At the same time as the Wandervogel mostly self-organised the Scouting movement was imported from Britain. A way of teaching boys outdoor skills, but also to impart values and proto-military education. Similar to the Wandervogel this spread quickly among the German lands, the first Austrian groups being founded in 1910.
Despite their influence on later movements, their size should not be overstated. Reaching maybe 100.000 members all together in Germany for Scouts and Wandervogel organisations, the number was less than 10.000 in Austria.
Then came the Great War, a harrowing experience for the nascent youth movements. Many of their founders fell in the war, others were deeply changed by the experience, both towards pacifisms as well as militarism.
After the war, they came into conflict with the young leaders that had taken over the movement during war time, leading to a splintering of the movements. During this time Wandervogel and Scout movement started to mix together each others ideas.
In Austria proper however, the first real mass youth movement that established itself after the war were the Katholische Jungschar. It's origin can be found in the immediate post war time, amongst catholic student organisations. Surrounded by the ruins of an Empire, socialist revolutions and supporters of the German-nationalist idea that fuelled the last war in the first place they decided that they should do their own part*. While their organisations had already organised their own youth wings, they realised that those were very elitist in nature, recruiting near exclusively amongst the Gymnasiums and had little mass appeal.
Playing their contacts amongst businesses, politics and especially amongst the church hierarchy, they quickly founded chapters in a larger framework, as well as bringing many of the splinters of previous movements under their banner.
While in many cases more or less self-organised in rural areas, in urban areas often young priests got involved in leading and organising the movement. With those ties to the church, rooms for meetings also were less of a problem than it was for similar organisations without such backing. With a surprising amount of monetary resources, the organisation quickly grew. Especially in the immediate post war years their ability to source additional meals for children were a welcome plus for many families.
Beyond the local activities however it was the larger organisation that made a difference. For one they started to organise exchange programs, sports tournaments and travel, often restricted to their own country, but on occasion also outside. They also offered other activities that were difficult for individuals to arrange. Hiking and wilderness weeks were nearly universally amongst all groups to a greater or lesser extent. Skiing was a skill that was prized and spread quickly. But there were also activities with a more notable militaristic bent, such as gliding or shooting.
Local activities depended a lot on the local leaders, who were preferably youths who were still part of the organisation themselves, or hadn't aged out that long ago. Skill acquisition, singing and passing on patriotic and catholic ideals were seen as important parts of it, though games played a big role especially for the younger members.
Publicly they got noted through among other things, Austria-patriotic events. Notably here the annual Herz-Jesu-Feuer, an at the time waning tradition to commemorate the fight against the French-Bavarian occupation during the Napoleonic War**, turned sign against Italian occupation of South Tyrol. The Jungschar helped revive this and spread it to other parts of the country.
They also publicly participated in catholic feast days and processions. Especially this clear catholic, pro-Austrian slant was however a problem for some people, preventing them or their children from joining the organisation. Even though as long as non-Catholics weren't officially banned by the organisation at large, some incidents still happened, especially where it came to children of Jewish religion. A further feature that made the Jungschar less attractive than some of of the other organisations, especially to older youths, was that they kept a strict gender separation in their organisation.
By the mid twenties the various Scout and Wandervogel movements had managed to pull themselves together and many of them unified under the existing umbrella organisation, the Österreichische Pfadfinderbund. With this they too managed to gather together more resources, and were increasingly able to match the range of activities the Jungschar provided.
Unlike the Jungschar, they were uniformed, with more of an emphasis on military education, both for boys and girls that were deemed old enough for it. It's networking into an international organisation was also seen as interesting by many over the often seen as very local Jungschar. At the same time being actively non-religious also helped them grow stronger than the Jungschar in some cities and in the few rural areas where protestant communities had survived the counter-reformation.
The Sozialistische Arbeiterjugend meanwhile was in many ways a latecomer. Having been founded prior to the Great War, the expectation that working class children would sooner or later join socialist organisations on their own as well as very limited funding starved the group of new members. Only when it became obvious that they were in the process of losing what felt an entire generation to the 'Catholics' did the leadership move to make their own youth groups more attractive. Especially in Vienna, where the Red social housing projects offered rooms for group meetings, but also in other industrial towns, the Arbeiterjugend clawed themselves their own niche in the late 20s.
Besides them also a plethora of independent organisations and even an at least nominally nation wide Wandervogel organisation existed, but they didn't rise to prominence either.
Near negligible in comparison was the third 'political' youth organisation. The Volksjugendbund associated with the German-nationalist parties, was founded in reaction to the two big parties having 'their' youth organisations and stayed, despite sometimes lavish offers, very limited in reach.
After 1926 the Austrian government started programs to subsidise 'organisation that increased the health and defensive training of youths'. Today of course we know that this was part of an overall shift towards preparation for war, as then seen during the Austro-Italian war.
Of course, it wasn't just those major, and several minor youth organisations that profited from this law. The Schützen received quite a bit of money from those laws, increasing youth membership significantly. As did many sports clubs, especially the increasingly professionalising football clubs of the era.
But in many ways it was the 'big three' of Jungschar, Pfadfinder and Arbeiterjugend that received the most money in those programs...
*Okay, so I have some idea about who could have been part of the group behind that movement. And yeah, I for many reason in the backstory placed the ASB element close there. However this is ATL bad historical research by the author. Deliberately misstated that way by me. And it's one of those examples for how I often twist history. Giving reasons that were OTL for things that happen only ATL, and the other way round. Because OTL those groups, young, often still or recently student, often with some wartime military service, catholic, conservative, part of the elite… and for a variety of reason with a strong Tyrol/Innsbruck slant (related to the University there) very much were pro-German. The majority of them in 1918-1921 year actively campaigned for unification with Germany in OTL that lead to positive referendums in Tyrol and Salzburg. How representative those were… difficult to tell. But they happened (OTL at least, haven't fully ruled on them ATL, because some of the parts behind the curtains are moving. Don't mind the cats, they belong to the physics department of the university.).
**not exactly, but often the read of the tradition OTL as well
Of course, as fitting written by the ignorant outsider ;-)
So problems with that one... Where to start. If the Nazis did one thing right, it was using youth as their political instrument. Despite the ideas going around, at least in the German area, they were pretty much the first when it comes to mass youth movements. You'll learn about the Wandervogel, and their influence on everything from German resistance movements to the Hippies. But well, they had their peak before WWI, with some 45k members in Germany and some mere 3,5k in Austria. Post war they were splintered and without real influence. That's such a low number, that well, we know about them because they were well documented, they were urban and bourgeoisie, and left written evidence. And well, then you can interpret everything into them. But then you look into the actual ideologies espoused. Even post war, you are more likely to find right wing proto-Hitler Youth, instead of the peaceful, pacifist people who supposedly went on to inspire the Hippies. Arier-Paragraph and banning admission to Slavs and all that. And yeah, I can clearly see the thread from hiking and admiring nature to some later Nazi policies concerning protection of the environment, KdF and more.
And then you have the Socialists. Seemingly at least in Austria perfectly positioned to become a mass Youth Movement in Vienna. Nothing. And with the amount of socialists in 'Social History' Professorships, the amount of Socialist historical journals you'd expect to find material on every five men troop. Yeah, you find stuff, but it's negligible in the larger picture. There had to be some things, but that might have been the 'party youth' that took members from 15-ish upwards, because there were some socialist resistance movements (scattered as they were in Austria) that had to have networked somewhere. Evidence through missing link.
Ironically there is some evidence that the scattered catholic organisations (Bund Neuland, the fraternities, some other smaller ones) in Austria were just as instrumental in generating resistance movements as the socialists... (that is beyond 'keeping traditions alive in the underground (and to hear some stories in the KZ)' not a lot)
Jungschar, at least in the way as presented, is pretty much post WW2. Without the militarized elements. And well, not as successful and public as described here. Less backing by shadowy conspiracies too.
I already have the outline of a follow up on the Jungschar too, though it may be merged into one of the larger posts that deals with various facets of the catholic church post war. Because... Well, national identity, an interrupted Lateral Treaty, reordering the relation of Austria with the Holy See through a new Concordat (OTL 1933) and all those other things. Austria in the end still is (at least cultural-nominal if that's the right term) a catholic country, much less so nearly a century ago.
Now that the rants over, let's tie this back to the last update, the Chi-Rho armband mentioned there is of course because the Jungschar isn't uniformed like the Pfadfinder/Scouts.
Short one today, not entirely happy, but well, that's usual for me, isn't it...
Chicago Herald Examiner, 8th of June, 1929
Foreign Section
Peace rejected again!
Italy, Austria and France all reject President Hoovers invitation to Peace Talks
The attempt to raise the US profile failed, as Italy flat out rejected any diplomatic contact. Austria and France were more open to talks, but politely declined further mediation, unless Italy agreed to talks first. As a noted internationalist, Hoover in the vein of his predecessor Wilson once again attempts to entangle the US in European adventures, in order to distract from internal problems. Furthermore, he once again urged all nations to rethink military spending, against all international trends.
"I promised my countrymen a chicken in every pot. The European leaders would be well advised to rethink their military adventures, as all that money would be better spend on their own population. There won't always be an American Relief Administration to feed that continent."
With France's ultimatum running out on Monday, further escalation is expected.
Chaco Conflict Heats Up
After repeated border clashes over the last years, new skirmishes have occurred
Territory in dispute between Bolivia and Paraguay since the War of the Pacific 1879 is once again in the focus of the clashes. After a series of violent clashes in December, the case was being arbitrated by Pan American League. However with the world's attention elsewhere, new incidents have taken place. Observers state that neither army is in a state to fight a full blown war, but due to an influx of Czechoslovak and Italian weapons in recent years this might have changed.
Standard Oil has announced that it has been pulling it's employees out of Bolivia, while according to our sources Royal Dutch Shell engineers still remain in Paraguay
Negotiations over Young Plan stalled further
Under the oversight of the noted industrialist Owen Young negotiations in Paris over restructuring of the German war debt are still stalled. While initial good progress had been made*, the outbreak of the Austro-Italian war had put a hold on that.
When German negotiator Schacht recently returned to the negotiation table, under the impression of French mobilisation, he once again restated the German position that continued payments the size France and Britain demand will only be possible if they return occupied German territories. Furthermore he stated that German participation in LoN operations should give them some lenience. However these ideas had been flatly rejected.
*fact checks say: wrong (It's far more complicated than that)
Short, but with a lot in there. The paper I picked is one of Hearst's, and unless I'm very wrong, followed the isolationist party line at the time. I think I managed to work that in there.
Peace negotiations... Well since despite this being 'the last president-ship where the US looked inwards' I can't imagine Hoover not trying to get involved. Brokering peace in Europe would be a win for him either way.
Similar like OTL they were involved in the negotiations in South America (though that didn't really count as abroad, Monroe Doctrine and all that). BTW the conflict simmered low level OTL for a while, then erupted in one of the bloodiest wars in South America between 1932-34. Czechoslovak and Italian weapons were OTL, and fit my sense of irony very well. (Other options where South America might grow hotter are Peru and Ecuador, Peru and Columbia, Peru and Chile, Chile and Argentina, Argentina and Bolivia. Not sure about the others, I only did surface level research there). Minor spoiler: Our Swiss Mercenary Leader might get involved. I'll need to do far more research on that one...
Young Plan: Another casualty of timing. It's almost as if it was planned... (nah, I pushed some things, but the initial choice for kicking off war was made for far less broad reasons) In the end, not too much was lost, if you look how long it kept working OTL - but it's very symbolic and will play it's part in post-war Europe.
Okay, this was one of the earliest snippets written. And then had another version written. And another. I've spend quite some time yesterday and today consolidating it down. Until I though enough, wrote this today in one go without reference material. If something sticks out as odd, don't hesitate to let me know. It might just be...
Transkript des Abhörgeräts 716, Cafe Industrie, Wien 5
9th June 1929
Top Secret
To be destroyed before 11th June, 1934
…
JD: I'm still not certain why you dragged me here today.
HP: That's because you were so busy of late. You missed most of the excitement. And it's showing the flag, showing that the Socialists in the government exist. Even if I get the impression myself often that we are window dressing.
JD: We were. I was at last. In the beginning I was drowning in paperwork just catching up. Recently, it's gotten better, and I've actually got some input. However most things seem to be on rails for now.
HP: Still no change in Rome?
JD: No, nothing on the military side either. Oh, we know who is pulling what strings, but they just can't get it into their hands that the war is effectively over.
HP: Just in time for us to unleash the revolution around Europe.
JD: Is it that bad? I mean, you know me. I was always willing to fight, unlike you pacifists. Something that seemed to have earned seat on the table when we reorder this nation after the war and maybe the world as well. But as a whole, is the situation elsewhere really that precarious?
HP: First of all, as much as I might object on principle, the Fascists don't seem to understand a language that doesn't involve bullets and guns. To the overall situation, no, not really. But we promised a lot at the beginning. We were desperate for every man who was willing to fight, not realising the machine that the groups around Seipel and Körner had waiting in the background. And so soon we will unleash tens of thousands of moderately trained, equipped and often veteran Socialists all over Europe. There will be repercussions. And I'm not sure I like it. Far too many dead, far too much destroyed, and this was supposedly an easy and clean war. Revolution… Well we remember Hungary. And Germany. And Russia.
JD: I mean, even before that there was always someone around willing to part of Great War surplus if one wanted it enough. Has that changed that much?
HP: Don't think the Schutzbund experience was in any way normal. You've seen it yourself, there was a plan in the background. And yes, things have changed. You've missed the spectacle yesterday, when Trotsky clashed with the Soviet Plenipotentiary. Nothing better to catch Moscow's attention. Emmerich Schwarz, well you know who he really is, was by earlier today, and then left with Arthur Rosenberg. José Díaz has had a deep discussion with Albert Thomas just before you arrived. Just look around you, the 'Third Period' of the Comintern has been thrown out the window all over Europe, and Socialists of all strips are planing their moves right here, right now.
JD: The 'Vienna International' finally succeeded. Who knew that all it needed was an international front against Anti-Socialist Fascists. While we are at it, we might just invite all those conservatives, nationalists, centrists and what else joined us in the fight as well.
HP: Hearing Friedrich right now, as he networks, you might be right. He's been involving various stripes of 'Christian Socialists' and 'National Socialists' all over. However war might end soon enough, and this alliance will not hold up, but it will shatter the second serious problems appear. Or well, just time.
JD: Oh, no doubt about that. I've been increasingly called upon to sort out what kind of foreign Volunteers we can allow to fight side by side, after we've had one too many clashes between different stripes of socialists. But when you look the other way you see unprecedented international cooperation. Never mind Europe, we've just today received a shipment of Lee-Enfields from India via Romania, and guess what? They were chambered in the old Mannlicher calibre.
HP: The capitalists thank you, and join us in the toast. To international cooperation, and death to Fascists.
JD: Hear, hear. Though, I have to admit, there is one thing that has been bugging me more and more. This mobilisation system, it wasn't built for a war with Italy. Far too many of the plans pertain to Germany, even if someone took care to scrub the headers it's in there. Something has convinced the CS leadership of that, and not just that, they managed to convince some of our people too. Theodore is in the things neck deep, probably since that spat of his with Vaugoin all those years ago. I just can't figure out what.
HP: Yeah. I was involved in getting one of Körners's disciples home a while ago when he had too much of a drink. He kept on mumbling, so I can tell you that at least one scenario they planned for was an expansionist, ultranationalist Germany. What I can't really figure out why he kept repeating 'Six million dead'. But as it is, it probably saved Austria's sovereignty. Not that too many in the party would have objected to unification in the wake of a German intervention. Though, I for one, don't relish the idea of getting involved in the trench fights amongst the German party.
JD: That sounds difficult to believe. You'd think their fear was something more realistic than Germany nearly wiping out all Austrians. But oh well, here's to the end spurt of the war. May there be no unexpected surprises along the way, because we're tapped out our reserves.
HP: Oh, that bad?
JD: That good, actually. During the Great War, we took years to mobilise to even near this level. All eligible men have been mustered. Of course it helped that all the paramilitaries were simply folded into the army without any additional tests. The last cohort not needed elsewhere and fit for service have started their military training this week. Unless we want to draw from vital services, or cut into the industrial output, that's it.
HP: That much, huh? And what kind of worst case scenario are we talking about?
JD: Right now? Them shipping their colonial troops through the blockade without us having advanced warning. Them managing to mobilise a large number of Great War veterans without us noticing. Another country opening a second front for us. Something involving Germany, leading to mass desertion amongst their volunteers.
HP: I see. You know, there is one pool of manpower you haven't tapped yet beyond a few exceptions.
...
Political allies? What's that? And how can we get more dirt on them. Oh, and by the way, you missed one. Where is that Shredder? No I haven't paid them yet. (Might or might not be commentary on current Austrian politics, ignore the last few sentences.)
Cafe Industrie used to be a real place, recently shut down. (as in 2017-ish) One of those places of Austrian 'culture'. Home to all kinds of 'originals'. Last renovated probably early 60s? And maybe never before that?
It's been reputed to be one of those actual worker meeting places amongst Austrian socialists, in comparison to the intellectuals and politicians.
So it just fits my humour to have all those socialist leaders turning up there for networking - and probably some kind of event before Deutsch turned up.
nice
its amusing that fear of the nazis led to the cooperation with the sozialists whereas OTL it was fear of the sozialists that enabled the fascists to come to power
on another note i wonder if the communist party will have a greater following here because i doubt that without soviet occupation there would be a 'oktoberstreik 1950' which, while retoactively acknowledged as not being intented as a putsch, still was treated as one at the time and led to communism being marginalised in austria
nice
its amusing that fear of the nazis led to the cooperation with the sozialists whereas OTL it was fear of the sozialists that enabled the fascists to come to power
on another note i wonder if the communist party will have a greater following here because i doubt that without soviet occupation there would be a 'oktoberstreik 1950' which, while retoactively acknowledged as not being intented as a putsch, still was treated as one at the time and led to communism being marginalised in austria
Well, even without the other ASB elements I sketched out - If someone close enough to the CS leadership got creditable information on the would have been future, can you really see them doing the same thing again, or try to at least compromise?
Though for extra irony (or not considering some events OTL), we have Friedrich Adler in talks with members of the NSDAP, amongst all kinds of other people.
I've think I've given hints already, but the cracks are widening both within the CS and the SP. One of them is what Helene Polanyi (aka Ilona Duczyńska in a different life) hints at at the very end. It's going to wreck havoc in the CS. Among the existing German-Nationist and Austria-patriotic faction. Among other things. SP has similar cracks showing. There are those that abhore cooperation with the CS at all, clerical-fascists and all. There is a not insignificant overlap with pacifist ideas among those.
But those cracks can wait until the war is over. Or can they?
to be honest i doubt that anyone would have known that this is the name behind HP unless you specifically wrote it somewhere
i for one assumed that was simply a placeholder and not another historical person
to be honest i doubt that anyone would have known that this is the name behind HP unless you specifically wrote it somewhere
i for one assumed that was simply a placeholder and not another historical person
There is another, more well known Socialist hidden in there too, using one of his OTL pseudonyms. Can you find him?
It's Béla Kun
For Duczyńska, she's hidden in an update from all the way back in October. I honestly didn't expect people to catch that one, though some of the earlier versions of the post may have offered a few more clues. Should be readable enough without that information. And to be honest, born at least partially from finding documents in archives without even that much of a hint as to who is refered to. Because at the time the document was worked on, everyone knew who was meant...
after knowing that there is another one to find i managed to do so
but tbh the time of the first republic was never something that i devoted much time to in my independent learning or heard about in school beyond the very basics
so half of your references fly over my head and the other half i need to be promted into recognizing that there is one so i wont read over them
after knowing that there is another one to find i managed to do so
but tbh the time of the first republic was never something that i devoted much time to in my independent learning or heard about in school beyond the very basics
so half of your references fly over my head and the other half i need to be promted into recognizing that there is one so i wont read over them
Yeah, I get that. My own school education on that topic wasn't much either. It was pretty much Schattendorf-Justizpalastbrand-Selbstauschaltung des Parlaments-Bürgerkrieg-and then suddenly Nazis.
It's very much overshadowed by the two Wars that come before and after, and well, if you have to cut something from the curriculum, why not that. The longer lasting effects the era had are pretty subtle in many ways, with the two big breaks before and after. (Or technically 1918/19, then 1933, then 1934, then 1938, 1945, and finally 1955, but that's already going into details)
That's not to mention that once you get beyond the very basics, and into the academic circles it's very much politically charged, still among CS/VP and SP lines...
There are things about the era that fascinate me however, so well, this project.
And don't worry about references. They are hit and miss anyway. Many are based on half remembered things, because to be honest I've probably forgotten more about the topic than I remember. Side effects of not really having an use for the knowledge for the longest time.
Höller, Eva: Women and the Austrian Armed Forces in: Walter Hellbock, Franz Wagner, Heinrich Starhemberg (1999): The Labour Movement and the Austro-Italian War, Wien: Arbeiterverlag
Limits imposed on Austria in the Treaty of St-Germain and in the Geneva Protocols to discourage offensive action restricted them to 30000 and later 50000 members of the armed forces. While even official numbers rose higher, with the aid of some creative bookkeeping, both the legendary Shadow Army as well as the use of civilian "contractors" expended them even more to nearly four times the allowed numbers. It was mainly men that served in these roles, not just because of then current gender roles, but also because most occupations were considered to bolster combat troops. A good example are drivers and mechanics. While not necessarily combat troops, outside of treaty defined reconnaissance and messenger roles, they were officially filled by civilians, but as soon as the war started integrated into their units as serving soldiers. It was however still several thousand woman who served in various roles. Most of them were in secretarial roles, or as cooks, laundry maids and similar roles.
When the war started there was a large amount of emergency legislation introduced into the Austrian parliament. And as so often with emergency measures, there were things that slipped through the cracks. While mostly unnoticed at the time, despite careful wording, an estimated 750 woman were brought from the various officially civilian auxiliaries into the Armed Forces. While most simply carried on their jobs, not affected by the change, there were some prominent immediate examples, that set the precedents for what followed. Most well known were the cases of the pilot Anna Starhemberg, who died flying a bomber aircraft soon after, or of Rebecca Sailer, who served as a translator with the staff of the 3rd Gebirgsjäger Division.
While those cases were very publicly fought over, both in court as well as in the newspapers, most others at first slipped through the cracks. With total mobilisation of the population in progress, Woman suddenly taking up work wasn't unusual. After all, a great many men holding unskilled or easily trained jobs were called to arms. And so things repeated as they had done a decade earlier during the Great War, if in greater numbers, and most of all, far faster.
While no branch of the Armed Forces officially actively recruited woman, even after cases had been rushed through the courts and additional legislation was put into place, there were an ever increasing amount of cases where woman were given military ranks, where they had previously worked as civilians. In some cases this even happened with woman that had only started in their positions after the war had started.
With muster and training plans working out like a clockwork, it didn't take long until all eligible men not otherwise occupied had been called up and put though training. With some 'military' occupations, this notably consisted of a three day course, until they returned to do their old job, now under direction of the military. However even by the people in charge these training regimes were considered dangerously short, but necessary for the continued survival of the nation.
It was then two months into the war that a snag was hit. All men were already serving in the Armed Forces, by way of professional army, shadow army, paramilitary elements or through training, or were considered indispensable in their their current position, or by age or health not considered capable of military service.
It was then that Staatsekretär für Heereswesen Julius Deutsch returned to the initial legislation that was passed when the war started and declared that the legislation concerned all citizens, not just male. It simply read 'All citizens between eighteen and thirty-five'*. His own party was torn over this. There were a core of feminist supporters of the measure, with the end goal of total equality, while others opposed it, again with females as the loudest voice. If brought to a vote, it is likely that the measure would have passed with the barest of margins, but only since the war was considered won already.
The CS however was different. Most of the base of the party was against the measure, and so were most vocal politicians. In this it is notable that the party leadership and the Ministers were curiously quiet on the matter, and silently kept Deutsch's back free to implement it.
By the time the armistice was declared, muster of woman was still in progress, proceeding slower than the males previously, for a number of reasons.
Therefore far slower than the call up of men, only the age cohorts born between 1908 and 1910 had entered training when the war ended.
There were also a small number of woman serving in foreign volunteer formations. This wasn't published widely until the controversial decision by Deutsch, but that much more afterwards. Mostly the woman in those formations were already serving second line roles, and units with a high amount of woman were deliberately assigned occupation or garrison duty far from the front lines, however even with those measures in place, a few of them did end up in front line combat.
*German has gendered Nouns. Think 'Headmaster' and 'Headmistress' and similar, but for pretty much every noun. In most cases the female form is formed by adding an "-in" at the end, though exceptions exist. However until roughly two decades ago it was accepted that the male form often serves as a neutral for both genders, depending a bit on context. Let's ignore current matters for now, dealing with military matters one assumes "Staatsbürger" to be male, not gender-neutral, and certainly not "Staatsbürgerin". There are however other parts, even parts of the Austrian constitution where "Staatsbürger" is used for both. (That is not to imply in any way that male and female citizens were equal in the 20s and 30s in most matters. In fact, one of the few matter they were fully equal was in their right to participate in elections.)
Anyone got the hints? Eh, doesn't really matter.
As mentioned cracks are forming in the parties. This, this very much is one of those that will lead to the CS splintering post war. It's very much ideologically, no matter what else, based on catholic values. That include the woman at home, and certainly not anywhere near a battlefield.
And those errors might have just been deliberate. And not opposing the implementation might be based on the idea that no matter what they do, there might still be the German Wehrmacht rolling over the border any day now... (After all, you don't operate a decade under the assumption, and then simply ignore it). After all, if they oppose the measure now, well, they'd have a harder time to get it in place if the situation gets desperate enough to need it.
And deliberately set up that way by me, to give us the dillema. Now if only I could get that "Homefront Ferdinand" piece to work, where he's called on the carpet about those insane ideas...
I think my usual complaints are by now known. Far too little time invested researching the newspapers proper. Therefore not sure if the tone is in anyway right.
The Glasgow Herald, 12th of June 1929
British government announces large Army exercise
With tensions rising all over Europe, an exercise of as of yet unseen size has been called for August
The exercise has been said will include all territorial units, simulating a full mobilisation and large scale manoeuvrers.
"A lot of skills are in the process of being lost. This should help us re-learn lessons from the Great War." a government official mentioned to the Herald.
One has to question however if this isn't a prelude to actual mobilisation, even as the Royal Navy's Mediterranean Commands orders had been changed from 'Blockading participants in this War' to 'Preserving the Peace'. One has to question if the government aims to create an incident that would make Britain a participant in this war, spending our boys lives for little gain.
Greek General* calls for Removal of all Turks, Latins** from Rhodos
While Greek troops were mustered at Salamis Naval Base near Athens, Georgios Bakos held a public speech, calling for complete removal of all people not of Greek origin or Orthodox faith from the island
After repeated incidents on and around the Dodecanese Islands, the Greek Army and Navy are jointly preparing for landing operations, even though no official declaration of war had happened yet. During a time when journalists had been given limited access to the base, Bakos gave his speech. As of now neither the Greek Army nor the government has responded with an official statement.
The Turkish representative to the League of Nations has lodged a complain with said body, at the same time as demanding that the Dodecanese islands are returned to their control.
Meanwhile reports are coming in stating that a large number of Greek-Orthodox community leaders, especially priests are placed under arrest in Constantinople and Eastern Thrace.
Dubrovnik*** takes the Island of Lagosta
After the Yugoslav Army moved into the city of Zara, their Navy occupies the island off Dalmatia.
With territorial conflicts existing between Italy and Yugoslavia since before the war, after the Ultimatum ran out the Yugoslav Forces were quick to react. The garrison at Zara surrendered quickly, overwhelmed by numbers as they were. Lagosta however was not defended by any military unit and had been taken quickly.
"A few youths were looking for trouble, but we dealt with them quickly and non-lethally." a representative of the Navy told a Yugoslav paper.
With Austria already occupying the border region between Yugoslavia and Italy, one has to wonder where they will make their next move.
The French meanwhile are less communicative. The only statement a representative of their Ministry of War made was that operations are proceeding as planned. Sources inform us that both airports and naval bases near the Mediterranean are busy and rumours of French colonial troops on the move from Tunisia are abound.
*not really, should be only a Colonel at the time (as far as I found – and to be honest, it's little enough to make me hesitate, but he's only going to turn up this once as far as currently planed)
**Again, not enough research. The term makes sense in the context of Rhodes, but I'm not sure how archaic it would be considered in the 1920s. (For those not familiar, basically a different term for Catholics – in the context of Rhodes mostly bundled up in the Knights Hospitaller - but here primarily referring to Italians)
***The ship, not the city. And not quite the OTL ship of the name. But well, serves the same purpose, built by the same company, plans modified from the same British design, named for the same reasons. So yeah, basically the same ship, just ordered earlier due to some internal politics mixed up by my fiat and more money available due to reparations they actually got this time around. Still so brand spanking new that some advisors from Yarrow Shipbuilders might still be on board.
Final stretch to the armistice. There's three pieces of 'Franzerl', one 'Dear Susanna', two 'Trenches to Skies' (though one is fighting me quite a bit) and one more 'Mercenary' planned. And some textbooks. And maybe a newspaper or two for those cases where I feel I missed relevant information. That is, unless I get inspiration along the way...
Yeah, put like that it sounds like quite some time to go.
mit großem Bedauern müssen wir Ihnen mitteilen, dass Ihr Sohn Alois Schmelzhütter am 18. Juni gefallen ist. Er wurde beim Versuch einem verwundeten Kameraden zu helfen von einem Granatensplitter getroffen und verstarb noch auf dem Schlachtfeld.
Wir haben Vorkehrungen getroffen, daß sein Leichnam zurück nach Wien überstellt wird, wo er mit allen Ehren am Zentralfriedhof beigesetzt wird, falls Sie keine anderen Wünsche äußern.
Mit tiefem Mitgefühl,
Major Harald Fußenegger, Kavallerieregiment 1 Wiener Neustadt "Maria Theresia"
Honoured Misses Marianne Schmezhütter,
with great regret we have to notify you, that your son Alois Schmelzhütter fell on the 18th of June. While he was attempting to aid a wounded comrade he was hit by a grenade splinter and died there on the battlefield.
We have made arrangements to have his body delivered to Vienna, where we will bury him with all honours, unless you state different plans.
With deep compassion,
Major Harald Fußenegger, 1st Cavalry Regiment Wiener Neustadt "Maria Theresia"
The first days on the drive south were almost absurdly peaceful. It appeared in their quest to fortify the southern Po Valley the Italians had stripped all their troops from the Apennines, the first of them we met were in Florence. The weak garrison there was all too happy to hand over the city without fighting, after seeing the armoured spear tip that came calling.
The Schützen had once again gained some transportation. It was some salvaged Italian trucks and cars, as well as some tractors to pull their artillery. There were those that were sorry to see the horses go, and others who were disappointed that they weren't used to enhance field rations. The Great War veterans were especially scathing with those who voiced those thoughts, telling tall tales of the last war. As if there were any combatant here that didn't have some memory of the deprivations even the civilian population had gone through during that conflict. It made everyone appreciate the many conserves that were part of the logistics train, though some sorts were more sought after than others.
From Florence onwards the Italians showed more of a presence again, though mostly in small numbers. There were the odd attacks on the supply train by small groups, snipers lying in ambush or even a number of landmines buried in the roads. The mines were an especially unpleasant surprise. While some had been encountered before, the large amount of anti-vehicle mines as well as the new type of anti-personal mine with their large shrapnel radius proved difficult.
More so, all bridges across the Arno south of Florence had been demolished. Thankfully the weather the last week had been warm and dry, leaving it fordable in several places. Still the primary thrust moved forwards to the west of the river, since near Arezzo it would take a wide turn to the east, cutting across the valley and blocking the path forwards for those on that side.
It was there, near that curve that resistance stiffened. In the hills to the west of Arezzo several Italian division had dug in, creating another defensive line. The line wasn't too extensive, and aerial scouting showed that they could be bypassed by moving towards Sienna. Yet at the same time this would leave several divisions posing a significant threat to the supply lines so the decision was taken to attack them head on.
Over night additional artillery had been brought forwards over newly constructed railway bridges. And so the morning started with a hellish artillery barrage, honing in on positions marked overnight. Austrian infiltrators showed their hand by setting off coloured smoke all over the hills, drawing the attention of roaming Austrian aircraft. Meanwhile the Regia Aeronautica made what might have been their last appearance in force. Several squadrons of their new heavy bombers appeared over the battlefield, proving themselves more resistant to anti-air fire and fighters than their older models and capable of carrying more bombs than their Austrian counterparts. However they were also slower and only a handful managed to drop their bombs on Austrian troops, and even fewer managed to survive their bombing runs. Notably many of those that did get away were those that dropped their bombs early.
The Schützen were following the Czech Armoured Battalion along the railway line, backing up their integrated mechanised infantry. It quickly turned out to the path of the most resistance, with many anti-vehicle mines found dug in, taking out more of the tanks than any other battle up to this point. With the Italian artillery suppressed and the tanks serving as mobile machine gun nests progress was made, if very bloody. Very few of the Italians surrendered where they were dug in, fighting on with a fanaticism that was uncommon at this stage of the war.
So here again, Arezzo. The last large scale battle on the way south and, unless one counts the ongoing fighting in Milano, the last battle of it's scale during this war.
on rereading it i wonder how much of this story is actually true
if l it was under less ideal/heroic circumstances i doubt that command would have told his mother about it, afterall how do you heroically describe that your child was a saboteur
