The Main Features of Draft Evolution in Bosnia and Herzegovina under the Habsburg Rule (1878–1914)

Abstract

Bosnia and Herzegovina were the last territorial acquisition of the Habsburg Empire before its disintegration. Caused by strategic reasons, this acquisition required effective integration of BiH to imperial military system. Such integration was connected with local modernization and transfer from Ottoman heritage to Habsburg standards of universal conscription. Local military reforms of 1881 and 1912 effectively organized unification of local and imperial military systems during less than 40 years. Thus, BiH became the European territory, which evolved from draft board to conscription much faster, than other countries of the region. The article is devoted to the comparative analysis of troop’s manning modernization processes in BiH and Habsburg Empire.

Keywords

• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Austria-Hungary
• draft
• conscription