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Did the Italians, Romanians, and Serbs in Austria-Hungary (in Trentino, Trieste, Istria, Fiume, Transylvania, Bukovina, Bosnia, Croatia, and Vojvodina) want to join Italy/Serbia/Romania before the start of World War I? Or did the idea of annexing these territories to Italy/Serbia/Romania only become popular in these territories after World War I broke out?
For the record, I am focusing on these three ethnic groups because all of them actually had an independent motherland which they could aim to join. In contrast, the Poles, Ukrainians, et cetera did not have an independent motherland back then.
Did the Italians, Romanians, and Serbs in Austria-Hungary (in Trentino, Trieste, Istria, Fiume, Transylvania, Bukovina, Bosnia, Croatia, and Vojvodina) want to join Italy/Serbia/Romania before the start of World War I? Or did the idea of annexing these territories to Italy/Serbia/Romania only become popular in these territories after World War I broke out?
I think alot of pan nationalism developed after the war.
In 1914, many people in Europe had a local sense of identity, rarely- if ever left their immediate home region, and correspondingly less sense of connection to anybody who lived outside of it- even if the people in question spoke the same language (well somewhat, as regional dialects were more distinct) and were a distant component of the same ethnicity.
When applied to Austro Hungarian imperial minorities in question, my guess is that pan nationalism was mixed. Sure, there were sentiments, but on a day to day level, most local people were not actively seeking to join with people "from somewhere over there, where nobody from here as ever been".
This impression of mine is supported by accounts of ethnic Serbs serving in the Austro Hungarian army despite the Empire's war with Serbia. Professional Serbian soldiers were actually offended that some Austrians doubted that they would keep their oaths. Serbian regiments were deployed to the Italian front where they served under a Serbian Field Marshall alongside Croatian regiments. Some Serbian units, however, were deployed to the initial fighting against Serbia. Defending Serbians noted that the Austro Hungarian Serbs fought well.
Italians did, there were a strong pro-secession movement very in touch with the people and intellectuals too, here in Trieste even some Slav preferred to be Italian than Slav (one for all Oberdank)
I think alot of pan nationalism developed after the war.
In 1914, many people in Europe had a local sense of identity, rarely- if ever left their immediate home region, and correspondingly less sense of connection to anybody who lived outside of it- even if the people in question spoke the same language (well somewhat, as regional dialects were more distinct) and were a distant component of the same ethnicity.
When applied to Austro Hungarian imperial minorities in question, my guess is that pan nationalism was mixed. Sure, there were sentiments, but on a day to day level, most local people were not actively seeking to join with people "from somewhere over there, where nobody from here as ever been".
This impression of mine is supported by accounts of ethnic Serbs serving in the Austro Hungarian army despite the Empire's war with Serbia. Professional Serbian soldiers were actually offended that some Austrians doubted that they would keep their oaths. Serbian regiments were deployed to the Italian front where they served under a Serbian Field Marshall alongside Croatian regiments. Some Serbian units, however, were deployed to the initial fighting against Serbia. Defending Serbians noted that the Austro Hungarian Serbs fought well.
What about Austro-Hungarian Romanians and Italians?
Italians did, there were a strong pro-secession movement very in touch with the people and intellectuals too, here in Trieste even some Slav preferred to be Italian than Slav (one for all Oberdank)
Did the Italians, Romanians, and Serbs in Austria-Hungary (in Trentino, Trieste, Istria, Fiume, Transylvania, Bukovina, Bosnia, Croatia, and Vojvodina) want to join Italy/Serbia/Romania before the start of World War I? Or did the idea of annexing these territories to Italy/Serbia/Romania only become popular in these territories after World War I broke out?
For the record, I am focusing on these three ethnic groups because all of them actually had an independent motherland which they could aim to join. In contrast, the Poles, Ukrainians, et cetera did not have an independent motherland back then.
Anyway, any thoughts on this?
I know this doesn't address your post directly, but were in not for the U.S.'s restrictions on immigration that were just starting (after war conditions made travel difficult) many would have wound up here. The more motivated and brave were seeking refuge from Europe's nuthouse for the prior two decades.
I know this doesn't address your post directly, but were in not for the U.S.'s restrictions on immigration that were just starting (after war conditions made travel difficult) many would have wound up here. The more motivated and brave were seeking refuge from Europe's nuthouse for the prior two decades.
Yep; in fact, here's a good article from 1917 about the US's push in favor of greater immigration restrictions:
I hope that this link to post here. This article should already be in the public domain because it was published before 1924, right?
Very good article. It's interesting that Presidents of both parties opposed the literacy test. The obvious point was that there were people who were afraid of the U.S. being swamped by immigration.
Very good article. It's interesting that Presidents of both parties opposed the literacy test. The obvious point was that there were people who were afraid of the U.S. being swamped by immigration.
Yep--especially, but not only, illiterate immigrants. The literacy test was speculated even in 1917 to only be a first measure against immigration, with there possibly being more to come later on, as there indeed were in the 1920s in real life.
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