The viewpoint of historiography towards the evolution of the problem of nationalism in the Habsburg Monarchy differed in the interwar period, Cold War period, and the modern period. This thesis compares the differences between older historiography, which had a greater animosity towards the Habsburg Monarchy, and the new approaches in historiography which are more favorable to positive assessments, and which introduced new topics that were barely researched, if at all, until then. The theories of some eminent historians of European and American historiography are presented. What is tried to be depicted is the origin and development of the nationalist movements of the various nations that were part of Austro-Hungary and their attitude towards the authorities, i.e., how the government tried to incorporate these nationalisms in the promotion of its own, monarchical patriotism. Simultaneously presented are the relations between Habsburgs and the ruling structures towards the nationalities in the Austrian and Hungarian part of the Monarchy and their reciprocal response. There was a certain positive sentiment towards the Habsburg Monarchy following the World War I, so this thesis describes certain constitutional changes, as well as the cultural and scientific progress that led to that sentiment. Southern Slavs are also a point of interest in this thesis, especially through the prism of the World War I, where certain elements that led to the disintegration of Austro-Hungary will be introduced. The methods of comparative history set out to compare the relations between the main theories of prominent historians of the Habsburg Monarchy, aiming to give an answer to the question of why it fell apart.