Page - 905 - in THE FIRST WORLD WAR - and the End of the Habsburg Monarchy, 1914 – 1918

The ‘Parma Conspiracy’ 905 that the attempts at peace had by no means failed solely as a result of the stubborn attitude of the Central Powers and their demands for a peace with victory. And so, attempts were made to sweep the matter under the carpet.2167 In April 1918, a committee was already established with the remit of examining on behalf of the foreign policy commission of the Allied Supreme War Council whether decisive errors had been made in 1917 that had prevented a separate peace from being concluded with Austria-Hungary. On 9 May 1918, the committee voted on the report by the commission and its consequences : 14 members agreed with the French motion, according to which it could be determined that the discussions between the French and the Austrians had at no point in time offered the opportunity for concluding a separate peace, while five members were of a different opinion and voted against it.2168 In retrospect, when the ‘Czernin-Clemenceau Affair’ was also debated in the Italian Chamber, Sonnino portrayed his role in such a way that he had acted in full accord with the Allies, and that there had never been anything to negotiate. In the Chamber, the deputy Ciriani wished to obtain information from Sonnino regarding what had hap- pened. Sonnino argued in a similar manner to his British colleague : the subject should not be discussed openly ; the entire matter was an attempt by its enemies to split the Allies. And in any case, it had quickly transpired that this was not a real offer, but an entirely vacuous communication. Sonnino therefore requested that the deputies refrain from insisting on a detailed response or even a discussion.2169 It had been nothing, since nothing had been allowed to happen ! In Austria-Hungary, it was not so easy to return to everyday business. ‘Crisis in Austria, crisis in Hungary’, wrote the Swiss envoy Bourcart to Bern. ‘The resentment caused by the fall of Count Czernin runs deep in German Austrian circles ; the pop- ularity of the Emperor has suffered badly and that of the Empress even more so.’2170 The result for the alliance was that the German Empire now felt free to do as it pleased. The alliance in its old form, which had been difficult enough to uphold, was dead. Kaiser Wilhelm was in fact pleased about the Sixtus Affair, since now he could finally accuse the Habsburg Empire of betrayal.2171 Kaiser Wilhelm is said to have told General Cramon, who had travelled to Spa and Avesnes to present his report, that in the depths of his soul, he no longer believed a word Karl said. ‘My trust is broken.’2172 Wilhelm demanded that Karl come and apologise. He was also to promise in writ- ing, and in the presence of the new Foreign Minister, Count Burián, that he would from then on make no approaches or offers of peace to any foreign power without the knowledge of the German Kaiser. The alliance must be deepened and broadened, and the willingness to agree to a very close military convention declared. Wilhelm raised himself to the level of moral judge over a monarch whose empire he regarded as hardly existing any longer, and showed his satisfaction that Hungary was so clearly keen to break loose.2173 However, he continued to expect gratitude, and was repeatedly able to