The Mixed Signals of the Vienna Revolution

On March 14th, 1848, the council of state appointed Prince Alfred von Vindishklets to head the Vienna garrison. He was a hardline conservative who had recommended a crackdown at the earliest possible opportunity and his reputation for such hardline policies was well known. The announcement that it would be Prince Alfred taking over the Vienna garrison was taken as proof by some in the streets that the government did plan a major crackdown. But then came the other side of the mixed signal as indecisiveness and fear inside the imperial court showed itself. And so they issued their final demand: We want a constitution.