During the Battle of Vittorio Veneto (24th October – 3rd November 1918), several provinces which made up the Austro-Hungarian Empire, declared their independence.
Austria-Hungary was a multi-ethinc and multi-national empire, which had faced the issue of nationalism and calls for greater regional autonomy even before the outbreak of the First World War.
As the war turned decisively against Austria-Hungary, groups such as nationalists and the traditional opposition parties and movements of the Left who had once called for autonomy, began to push for independence.
These groups were spurred on by Wilsonian principles, such as the right to self-determination.
On 28th October 1918, Czechoslavakia declared its independence from Austria-Hungary; on the 29th October the South Slavs followed suit.
Hungary withdrew from the union with Austria on 31st October 1918, formally dissolving the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Posted by: Daniel Barry, Centenary News