Chapter 965 The Fall of the Empire

Inside the city of Vienna, the Austrian General Staff, and the Underground Command.

Archduke Friedrich, Duke Kasbah, and Baron Marshal Herzendorf all had very ugly faces. They have high hopes for this battle of Vienna.

But now, the performance of the Austrian army is very bad. As far as the German army launched the first wave of attacks, the Austrian army was defeated across the board. Of the 200,000 Austrian troops deployed outside the city, except for a small number who were killed by the heavy German shelling and some who surrendered to the German army, most of them retreated into the city without any fighting spirit.

What's more serious is that those cowards who are terrified are preaching everywhere about the strength of the German army and how terrifying the German artillery fire is. This made the troops in the city panic. Many troops have expressed that many soldiers are no longer afraid to continue fighting the German army. If this continues, I am afraid that it will not be long before the Austrian army will not have to fight at all, and they will just surrender to the German army.

"What should we do now? The troops simply don't have the fighting spirit to continue fighting. If this continues, once the Germans attack the city, we will not be able to resist it at all!" Baron Herzendorf said worriedly.

"Indeed, there is nothing we can do. This time, the battle of Vienna that we expected will end in a very bad way." Duke Kasbah also said.

Obviously, Duke Kasbah has no confidence in this battle. The German offensive was too strong, and the Austrians too weak. In addition, they don't even have an advantage in military strength, so the so-called patriotism is of little use in the face of life and death.

"Anyway, the battle has already begun, so it cannot be terminated now. Order the troops in the city to continue to resist. I hope God bless them, they can behave better!" Archduke Friedrich sighed.

Although, he also knew that the outcome of this battle was probably doomed. But no matter how much dissatisfaction there is, there is no way to do it. Who made their strength completely inferior to Germany?

"By the way, where is Your Majesty?" Archduke Friedrich asked.

"His Majesty the Emperor is still staying in the basement of the palace. He seems to think it is safer there." Duke Kasbah said.

"Forget it, let him go. After all, he will soon become the king of subjugation!" Archduke Friedrich said.

They all knew that the Austro-Hungarian Empire was doomed this time. Karl I, on the other hand, had only been emperor for more than 20 days. At that time, he might become a monarch whose country was destroyed in less than a month after becoming emperor. Such a result can already be recorded in the history books.

After the German army captured the periphery of Vienna, it did not stop attacking. That afternoon, the German army launched an attack on the city of Vienna.

In order to speed up the advancing speed of the troops, several armored divisions also participated in the street fighting. Although, street fighting is very dangerous for armored troops. Especially when the armor of the tank is not too strong, the enemy has too many ways to sink the German tank in the street battle. However, the addition of armored troops greatly improved the infantry's attacking ability. At least, when facing the barricades built by the Austrian army, the tanks can advance against the firepower of the Austrian army's machine guns, and then use tank guns to destroy the firepower points of the Austrian army, clearing the way for the advancing infantry and reducing the casualties of the troops .

Although, the troops defending Vienna can be regarded as the elite of the Austrian army. But unfortunately, the elite is only a relative term. In front of the German army, these elites of the Austrian army did not have any elites at all.

In street fighting, the Austrian army should have had a great advantage. After all, they are more familiar with this place, and they can also use the built fortifications to resist the German army. However, their performance is still not very good. These Austrian troops don't know how to fight street fighting at all. In other words, they have not undergone systematic street fighting training at all. This made them seem at a loss when facing the German attack. Or rather, exhausted.

Coupled with the low morale of the troops, the Austrian army was retreating steadily in the city of Vienna, unable to withstand the German attack at all.

On the evening of the 27th, at least one third of Vienna fell into the hands of the German army. More than 100,000 Austrian officers and soldiers were captured by the Germans.

It can be said that the German army achieved amazing results in the battle on the 27th. They not only invaded the city of Vienna, but also occupied a large area of ​​the city. More importantly, they have almost defeated the will to fight of the Austrian army. The next battle will undoubtedly become smoother.

Marshal Howson was even optimistic that maybe at sunset tomorrow, the whole of Vienna could be taken.

At that time, they will capture all the important ministers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, including the emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. At that point, the battle seemed to be over.

The next day, the 28th, the German attack continued as usual.

As Marshal Howson expected, yesterday's disastrous defeat made the Austrian soldiers even more panicked. Many Austrian soldiers, even hiding in the barricades. But as long as the German army launches an offensive, the first thing they do is not to fire back, but to immediately raise their hands and surrender.

These Austrian soldiers have no fighting spirit at all. All they want to do is to save their own lives.

The advancing speed of the German army was very fast. In just half a day, the German army had occupied most of Vienna's urban area.

The remaining part of the city is also located in the east and south of Vienna. It can be said that the German army will occupy the entire Vienna before sunset, which is already a certainty.

"Forget it, order the troops to stop resisting! In the eyes of the Germans, our resistance may be a joke at all!" Archduke Friedrich said dejectedly.

Both Duke Kasbah and Marshal Herzendorf knew what he meant.

If the resistance of the Austrian army can cause a lot of casualties to the German army, then their resistance is still meaningful. But now, the Austrian army didn't even have the courage to fight on, so naturally there was no need to resist.

Half an hour later, Archduke Friedrich, in the name of the commander-in-chief of the Austrian army, issued an order to the Austrian army to surrender. All the Austrian soldiers put down their weapons one after another and surrendered to the Austrian army.

The whole of Vienna fell into the control of the German army.

The fall of the capital marked the end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire after half a century of existence. Compared with another time and space, it is a little earlier.