Military history of Austria
The Military Frontier was an important way in which Austria defended itself against the Ottomans.
The following shown below is a history of the Austrian military history.
From 1804 to 1867, the Imperial and Royal Army (Kaiserlich-königliche Armee), as well as the navy were members of the Austrian Empire (1804–1867).
From 1867 to 1918, The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was composed of the common army (recruited from everywhere), the Austrian Landwehr (recruited only from Cisleithania), and the Hungarian Honvéd (recruited only from Transleithania).
These are official names in German:
- Regiments of the common army were "Imperial and Royal" - kaiserlich und königlich (k.u.k.)
- The Austrian Landwehr regiments were "Imperial Royal" - kaiserlich-königlich (k.k.).
- The Hungarian Honvéd regiments were "Royal Hungarian" - königlich ungarisch (k.u.)
This army existed from the establishment of the Dual Monarchy in 1867 until the end of World War I in 1918.
The Austro-Hungarian Navy was the naval force of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its official name in German was the Kaiserlich und königliche Kriegsmarine ("Imperial and Royal Navy", also known by the acronym k.u.k.).
Between 1918 and 1921, the military forces were known as Volkswehr (people's defence).
From 1921 to the present (except World War II, (1938–1945)), the name of the Military of Austria is Bundesheer ("Federal Army"). The branches are Land Forces (KdoLdSK) and Air Forces (KdoLuSK).
In 1955, Austria declared its everlasting neutrality and made neutrality a constitutional law. The main purpose of the Austrian military, since then, has been the protection of Austria's neutrality.