Military Culture and Popular Patriotism in Late Imperial Austria
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Published:3rd Jul '14
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Military Culture and Popular Patriotism in Late Imperial Austria examines the interplay between popular patriotism and military culture in late imperial Austria. Laurence Cole suggests that two main questions should be asked regarding the western half of the Habsburg Monarchy during the period from the mid-nineteenth century to the outbreak of war in 1914. Firstly, how far did imperial Austrian society experience a process of militarization comparable to that of other European countries? Secondly, how far did the military sphere foster popular patriotism in the multinational state? Various manifestations of military culture, including hero cults and, above all, military veterans associations, provide the main subject for analysis in this volume. After exploring the historical development of military culture in the Habsburg Monarchy, Cole explains how the long reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I constituted a decisive phase in the militarization of Austrian society, with the dynasty and state emphasizing the military's role as the locus of loyalty. Popular manifestations of military culture, such as the hero cult surrounding Field Marshal Radetzky and military veterans associations, complemented the official agenda in many respects. However, veterans associations in particular constituted a political mobilization of the lower middle and lower classes, who asserted their own interests and position in civil society, as is shown by case studies of regions of the Austrian state with significant Italian-speaking populations (Trentino and the Littoral). State attempts to assert greater control of veterans activities led to national and political opposition at a time when tensions over 'militarism' and foreign policy increased. Military Culture and Popular Patriotism in Late Imperial Austria thus raises the question of whether the military was really a bulwark of the multinational state or rather a polarizing force in imperial Austrian society.
An important work for both European history and military studies ... A first-rate study, ably grounded in the sources, and conceptually and methodologically acute. * Jeremy Black, European Review of History: Revue européenne d'histoire *
Laurence Cole has done much with this current volume to start new conversations about the military forces and militarism in the Danubian monarchy. The work that has gone into this volume is impressive ... Cole offers a deeply researched, question-oriented and compelling argument * John Deak, German History *
In this carefully researched and well-argued book, Laurence Cole offers the first substantial treatment of how military culture developed in late imperial Austrian society and the extent to which it supported popular state loyalties. In doing so, the book makes a significant contribution to the rapidly growing body of scholarship on the evolving relations among citizens, civil society, and government in the fifty years before 1918. * Gary B. Cohen, Central European History *
With this important new book Laurence Cole challenges historians of the Habsburg Monarchy and its successor states to rethink fundamental questions about the popular character of loyalty and patriotism in Imperial Austria ... superbly researched sections enable Cole to develop credible and complex answers to some of historians most critical questions about popular understandings of patriotism. * Pieter Judson, Central Europe *
Cole has produced a much-needed and extensively researched monograph. The focus on military culture allows for a nuanced reflection on the public sphere, popular culture, nationalism, and patriotism in the late empire ... the monograph is a very valuable addition to the field of Austrian studies that places the empire within the larger context of European history during the late nineteenth century. * Iryna Vushko, American Historical Review *
Behind the prosaic title of this book lies a source-rich, but also theoretically sophisticated study, which simultaneously makes a contribution to several fields of discussion in the recent historiography of the Habsburg Monarchy. Questions about societal militarization, associations, patriotism, and the relationship between civil society and the state are combined in a productive way ... This [is an] excellent study. * William D. Godsey Jr., Historische Zeitschrift *
Laurence Cole has produced a pioneering microanalysis of Habsburg efforts, especially after 1848, to create a patriotic culture in Austria ... Cole's sweeping, almost exhausting analysis provides a definitive roadmap to these patriotic efforts. * Samuel R. Williamson, Jr., Journal of Military History *
ISBN: 9780199672042
Dimensions: 239mm x 162mm x 29mm
Weight: 720g
376 pages