Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 52. (2007)
FRIED, Marvin Benjamin: Feldmarschall Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf: A Memoir Analysis
Marvin Fried and, like the OHL, believed in a ‘window-of-opportunity’ theory which, according to Conrad, was missed. Conrad thus refutes his shortcomings by accusing the diplomats of not having allowed him to wage war sooner. He argues that the Central Powers had to “meet the danger in time”126 or “give up [their] claims as Great Powers.”127 According to Conrad they did neither, “instead plunging themselves into the World War,”128 thus evidence of Conrad’s view that the Central Powers’ failure in the war was a result of a missed opportunity, since “every day of waiting lessened the chance for success.”129 Conrad had continually but “unfortunately in vain”130 attempted to convince the diplomats to act. He believed that the Balkan disputes could only be “settled with arms,”131 and waiting too long was the “doom”132 of Austria-Hungary. By invading Serbia after the assassination, Austria-Hungary according to Conrad was acting within its “sovereignty rights,”133 and that the mistake was to not have waged war on Italy in 1909/10 and Serbia much earlier. Conrad points out several times the “inevitability”134 of the war, wishing Austria-Hungary had not put it off and instead struck first and early. Preempting the inevitable accusations of his militarism, Conrad conveniently argues that one comes “logically to the conclusion that an offensive war is not an offensive war if its purpose is defense.”135 While Austria-Hungary’s anger and impatience with Serbia following the assassination was understandable and justifiable, the ‘poison pill,’ which was issued in the ultimatum and the inevitably ensuing Austro-Hungarian/Serbian war, did not serve military and territorial defense, merely somewhat cloudy imperial cohesiveness purposes. Finally, Conrad argues that, had the Great Powers truly wanted peace in Europe, they should have granted Austria-Hungary “a mandate”136 to maintain stability in southeast Europe. The fact that this did not happen, Conrad believes, is a result of a greater, instinctive force which can be characterized as a Social Darwinist ‘survival of the fittest’ concept and which will be discussed in the next section. 126 Conrad von Hötzendorf, Franz: Private Aufzeichnungen, Pg. 119. 127 Ibid, Pg. 119. 128 Ibid, Pg. 119. 129 Ibid, Pg. 227. 130 Ibid, Pg. 167. 131 Ibid, Pg. 156. 132 Ibid, Pg. 156. 133 Ibid, Pg. 225. 134 For example on Ib i d, Pg. 162. 135 Ibid, Pg. 189. 136 Ibid, Pg. 204. 238
