Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf

Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf (November 11, 1852 - August 25, 1925) was the Chief of the General Staff of the Austro-Hungarian Empire's army at the outbreak of World War I. He had been one of the main proponents of war with Serbia in response to the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. He did not distinguish himself in his conduct of military operations for Austria-Hungary during the war, often proposing and executing unrealistically grandiose plans, disregarding the realities of terrain and climate. The plans that he drew up frequently under-estimated the power of the enemy. The Serbian army proved far more effective than he had given them credit for, and the Russian mobilization far quicker. These errors combined with others to lead to the disastrous first year of war that crippled Austro-Hungarian military capabilities. Most of his military victories were possible only in conjunction with German armies, on whom his army became increasingly dependent. Conrad von Hötzendorf was dismissed from his post in 1917 by the new emperor, who favoured a negotiated peace with the entente powers.