What idea resulted in Austria-Hungary being divided into independent states organized around shared culture and language following World War 1?

Answer 1

The idea that led to the division of Austria-Hungary into independent states was rooted in the principle of self-determination, championed by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. This principle emphasized the right of ethnic groups to govern themselves and form their own nations based on shared culture and language. As a result, various nationalist movements within the Austro-Hungarian Empire sought independence, leading to the formation of new states like Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia after the war. The Treaty of Saint-Germain and the Treaty of Trianon formalized these changes, redrawing the map of Central and Eastern Europe.