Britain and the Occupation of Austria, 1943-45 (Studies in Military and Strategic History)

The relationship of policy to strategy is a central issue in international studies. Using the little-known but highly relevant example of British planning for the occupation in 1945, the book provides a case-study in the practicalities of 'liberating' enemy territory. It looks at the way in which policy was developed and then reconciled with those of her Allies; how negotiations were directly affected by the existing - and expected - strategic situation; and how the military were involved in the reconstruction of Austria. The relationship of policy to strategy is a central issue in international studies. Using the little-known, but highly relevant, example of British planning for the occupation of Austria in 1945, the book provides a case-study in the practicalities of 'liberating' enemy territory. It looks at the way in which British policy was developed and then reconciled with that of her allies; how negotiations were directly affected by the existing ' and expected ' strategic situation; and how the military were involved in the reconstruction of Austria. Britain and Occupation of Austria, 1943-45 illustrates enduring themes, especially those associated with decision-making, cooperation between allies and the hybrid nature of the military task in post-conflict operations. The thoughts and actions of political and military planners in the last years of the Second World War are of interest in their own right, but there are also contemporary resonances in many of the issues confronting them Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 List of Tables, Figures and Maps......Page 8 Preface......Page 9 Abbreviations......Page 12 1 A Hybrid Task......Page 14 2 British Policy before 1943......Page 29 3 Crystallisation of British Policy......Page 45 4 Co-ordinating Allied Policy......Page 58 5 Planning and the Military......Page 89 6 The British Element of the ACA......Page 108 7 Occupation......Page 120 8 Civil Affairs and Military Government......Page 148 9 Establishing the ACA......Page 174 10 Towards an Independent Austria......Page 197 11 Planning for Postwar Austria......Page 210 Notes......Page 213 Bibliography......Page 224 C......Page 231 H......Page 232 P......Page 233 V......Page 234 Z......Page 235 "The relationship of policy to strategy is a central issue in international studies. Using the little-known, but highly relevant, example of British planning for the occupation of Austria in 1945, the book provides a case-study in the practicalitics of 'liberating' enemy territory. It looks at the way in which British policy was developed and then reconciled with that of her allies; how negotiations were directly affected by the existing - and expected - strategic situation; and how the military were involved in the reconstruction of Austria."