General Franz Condrad von Hötzendorf (1852-1925) was commander-in-chief of the Austro-Hungarian Army from 1906. He had a profound distrust of the Italian alliance. In the pre-war period, he made all effort to point out to Emperor Franz Joseph in his memorandums the ambiguity and unreliability of Italian foreign policy. He even twice suggested to oppose against Italy by force - in 1907 and, in particular, in 1911, after the Italian military invasion of Tripoli. He has gained the reputation of a dangerous radical and a supporter of the preventative war. He has always been vigorously refused, and has fallen into a permanent disgrace to the Emperor. Conrad succeeded in attaining at least one thing - building a line of modern fortifications on the Tyrolean and Carinthian frontiers with Italy, which significantly completed the existing fortresses from the second half of the 19th century. In the event of a conflict, the fortresses should not only prevent the invasion of the enemy in the territory of the monarchy but, above all, protect the wing and rear of their own operational armies that would enter Veneto in case of war.
He became Chief of the General Staff in December 1912 and held command of the Army until March 1917.
Source:
KODET, R.: Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf – zapomenutý vojevůdce, In: Historický obzor, Praha 2007. p. 179-182.
