History/Political Science paper by Pastor, Peter (withdrawn)
The Hungarian Home Front during the Great War
Type of Abstract (select):Abstract (max. 250 words):
On June 28, 1914, Gavrilo Princip assassinated the Austro-Hungarian heir to the throne Francis Ferdinand and his wife, Sophia while they were on a ceremonial visit to the Bosnian Capital Sarajevo. The nineteen year old Bosnian Serb youth was a member of a group of conspirators whose weapons were supplied by officials of the Serb state who were also members of the nationalist Black Hand (otherwise called Union or Death) organization. A month later Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, but within days the local war developed into a World War due to the bipolar nature of the alliance. Though the belligerents expected the war to end by winter, it lasted for four years. The conflict evolved into total war with the successful mobilization of the home front was crucial for sustaining the fighting at the war front. The history of the Hungarian war front indicates that although prewar problems came into sharper focus, the home front was able to hold; it collapsed into revolution only following military defeat at the war front.
Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Peter Pastor is Professor Emeritus of History at Montclair State University, New Jersey. His special interest is the history of diplomatic and military relations between Hungary and Russia/USSR. He is the author of numerous articles, a monograph, and editor or coeditor of several books, including the 2012 publication, Essays on World War I (with Graydon A. Tunstall).