On the morning of January 12, 1917, at the Vienna Imperial Palace, Karl I, the newly enthroned Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, summoned the Empire's leading civil and military officials to discuss national policy.
After all other matters had been dealt with, Karl I glanced at the Empire's senior officials and said, "Gentlemen, World War has been over for more than a year. I believe there is no longer any need for our alliance with Germany to continue. During the war, in order to fight Britain, France, Russia, and the other nations, we had no choice but to form an alliance with Germany and face our powerful enemies together. But now, those former enemies no longer exist, so there is no need for the Allied Powers to exist either. I have decided that the Austro-Hungarian Empire will withdraw from the Allied Powers!"
Karl I's decision immediately caused a tremendous uproar among the Austro-Hungarian Empire's senior officials.
Although many of them knew that Karl I hated the German Empire, they had never expected him to be so audacious as to make such a decision. Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were neighboring countries. If they offended the German Empire, would they not be seeking their own deaths? Although the Austro-Hungarian Empire was also one of the world's great powers, they did not believe it could contend with Germany. As the Empire's senior officials, they naturally knew the nation's true condition. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was now strong on the outside but hollow within. The title of a great power might intimidate ordinary small nations, but before a true great power, they were utterly at a disadvantage. Not to mention facing the German Empire, the world's number one power.
"Your Majesty, have you thought this decision through? If we withdraw from the Allied Powers,