Part 7/14:
The political structure of Austria-Hungary was fraying at the seams. The Hungarian government announced that its soldiers could go home — and they did within days. This widespread desertion signaled the imminent break-up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a death knell for its unity. The dissolution was further evidenced by Hungarian nationalist leader Károlyi setting up a National Council, laying the groundwork for Hungary’s independence separate from Austria.
In Germany, revolutionary agitation grew, with Lenin’s Russia perceiving the chaos as an omen of broader upheaval across Europe. The unrest was so severe that it threatened the stability of the German monarchy itself.