Page - 450 - in THE FIRST WORLD WAR - and the End of the Habsburg Monarchy, 1914 – 1918

450 Factory War and Domestic Front, 1915 and to present them as being fully on a par with the Germans and even as being a supe- rior army to that of the Russians, in order to have a stronger starting position if it were perhaps to come to peace negotiations.1072 The separation from the Germans was also a logical step in the sense that while the dying and suffering among the non-German nationalities of the Habsburg Monarchy might still be acceptable in the Austro-Hungarian war, making the same sacrifices to further the war aims of the German Empire was out of the question. Since the Army High Command was fighting for an equal place in the hierarchy and was keen to maintain its prestige outwardly, the subordination of Imperial and Royal troops, armies and army components had become a double problem. Naturally, this problem varied for each different level, and was regarded by the German troop commanders only from their perspective. However, the unpleasant coexistence had deeply marked everyone involved. Laborious constructs were found in order to secure the supreme command for one person or another, to uphold prestige and at the same time, to secure control. But what was the point ? Now the moment of separation had come. The complete disentanglement of the German and Austro-Hungarian troops would not be achieved completely, but without doubt, they were once again relatively independent of each other, and for their part, the Austrians announced as early as July that they would again prepare for attack with the aim of conquering East Galicia. The ‘Black-Yellow’ Offensive Conrad was eager to prove the leadership qualities of the Imperial and Royal Army High Command. There had indeed also recently been increasing doubt as to his suitability with regard to his responsibility for operational planning and implementation, since he had failed to push through his own operational ideas among the German generals, who acted in a patronisingly friendly manner towards him, and of whom he was thoroughly sick and tired. His aim was now to split the Russian western and south-western fronts more widely open, which were already divided by the Pinsk Marshes. This was then to initiate an operation, a ‘black-yellow’ offensive, which would prove the re-established freedom of action and independence from the German Supreme Army Command.1073 Conrad planned to advance to Rivne and, if possible, on to Kiev. In his view, it would furthermore be possible to implement a vast pincer operation with the northern wing of the eastern front, the armies of the German Eastern Front High Command, and to encircle 25 Russian divisions.1074 Finally, the opportunity presented itself of pushing through beyond Russian Poland and on to actual Russian territory. There was a buoyant mood in the Army High Command as a result of its regained independence. Conrad informed Falkenhayn about his intentions and is likely to have been angered