Page - 285 - in THE FIRST WORLD WAR - and the End of the Habsburg Monarchy, 1914 – 1918

L ike many others, Pope Benedict XV had also hoped that it would prove possible to bring about a ceasefire before Christmas. However, when the Imperial and Royal Army High Command was approached about such a truce, Conrad advised against it. Objections were voiced such as the war could not take such a thing into consideration, the Russians would not stick to an armistice, etc. The Chief of the General Staff of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces had long since moved away from the idea of a limited war ; for him, the total war had already begun in August 1914, and he had banished ech- oes of the 19th century from his mind, when truces had been agreed for special occa- sions and war was rarely fought in wintertime. (The same applied to his counterparts.) Conrad had to continue planning and preparing for the second year of the war. How- ever, a moral defeat also had to be borne and a reversal in mood had to be overcome. On 2 and 3 December, in all larger towns in the Dual Monarchy, joyous rallies were held due to the capture of Belgrade. Flags were hoisted, regimental bands played, there were torchlight processions and celebrations took place. The mood that had still been widespread in November was swept away ; Ludwig Thallóczy, the head of department in the Imperial and Royal Finance Ministry responsible for Bosnia and Herzegovina, had written of this mood : ‘The so-called intelligent public is extraordinarily concerned. Fear has taken a strong hold of the people. […] Now the state of affairs is grey and people are concerned about the outcome of the war. In even the bravest souls the chord of worry is struck and only a few people remain calm. Unfortunately, a real man is sorely lacking here : old women, gossiping know-alls, troublemakers and dumb sheep surround the people.’683 Then everyone had to believe that victory had been won against Serbia, and that with it the actual objective of the war, namely to avenge Sarajevo and punish Serbia, had been achieved.684 Yet another turnaround had come and in the first days of January an alleged remark by Emperor Franz Joseph was circulated, according to which the Emperor no longer dared to go outside for shame and sorrow.685 The absence of Franz Joseph of course had other reasons. The defeat in the Balkans was felt to be far more lasting than anything that had happened so far in the north-eastern theatre of war. The mood changed and one observer from a neutral state, namely the ambassador of the USA in Vienna, Frederic C. Penfield, concluded from this : ‘All classes of the population seem deeply war-weary and wish the war would end as soon as possible, as long as the peace agreement can be reconciled with national honour.’686 The American diplomat did not have a complete insight into events, yet he would have doubtlessly