The July CrisisGeneral Background

World HistoryMr. Hannigan

April, 2011

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The July Crisis: Can you stop the Great War?"The lamps are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our lifetime."

Sir Edward Grey

On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was assassinated while visiting Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip, a member of the Black Hand society. The Austrian government blamed Serbia for harboring terrorists and sent the Serbian government an ultimatum with which that country found it impossible to comply. This set into a motion series of alliances. During the month July, European diplomats debated whether to engage in a war to obtain certain long sought goals, colonies, and justify a huge military buildup. By the end of July all of Europe was poised on the edge of war.

 TELEGRAM

RECEIVED: 30 JULY, 1914

THE NATIONS OF EUROPE ARE ON THE VERGE OF WAR WHICH WILL INVOLVE US ALL. THIS WAR CAN BE PREVENTED. WE URGE ALL DELEGATIONS TO ATTEND THE PEACE CONFERENCE CONVENING IN BRUSSELS.

ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR YOUR DELEGATION TO MEET IN BRUSSELS ON JULY 31, 1914. IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE THIS CONFERENCE, IT IS IMPERITIVE THAT YOU PREPARE THE FOLLOWING PRESENTATION FOR THE OTHER DELEGATES:

1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR COUNTRY INCLUDING A MAP, BRIEF HISTORY, AND ALLIANCES.

2. LONG TERM REASONS EXPLAINING WHY YOU MAY FEEL FORCED INTO WAR.

3. RECENT OR SHORT TERM EVENTS IN THE PAST MONTH THAT YOU FEEL ARE FORCING YOUR COUNTRY INTO WAR.

4. YOU SHOULD ALSO OUTLINE YOUR PEACE PROPOSAL WHICH YOU WILL AUGMENT AFTER THE OTHER DELEGATIONS MAKE THEIR PRESENTATIONS.

MINISTER OF FOREIGN RELATIONS KINGDOM OF BELGUIM  

Task The date is July 30, 1914 and the situation is critical when you receive the above telegram. You are a diplomat for one of the countries involved in the origins of World War I. Austria-Hungary has already declared war on Serbia after receiving reassurance from Germany of full support. Because of the

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alliance system, this war is not destined to remain a small, regional flare up. Russia and Germany are about to declare war because the Russian army has been mobilized at the German border. Germany has plans to attack France through neutral Belgium, and Great Britain has sworn to protect Belgium's neutrality. Belgium is trying to make one last effort to bring the interested countries together to avoid war.

The ProcessStep1: Your team is a diplomatic advisory group representing one of the following:Austro-Hungarian Empire, Germany, France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, and Ottoman Empire. Each country's team of diplomats will meet in neutral Belgium on July 31,1914. In order to prepare for the peace conference, you and your team must research and make an oral presentation with visuals on the following topics as stated in the telegram:

Background about your country including: a brief history, geographic location, alliances, and leaders

Long term reasons explaining why your country is willing to risk going to war (events more than a year ago)

Short term reasons explaining why your country is willing to risk going to war (events within the last year)

All students should take notes on these three topics: background, long term reasons, and short term reasons in their journals.

Step 2: After your group has made a presentation representing your country's point of view on these topics and studied the information given by the other countries, you will prepare and present a proposal to prevent the war. Take into account all that you have learned from the presentations of other countries, and try to formulate an agreement that will prevent the war by presenting a valid compromise. This proposal should obtain for your country what it really wants and make some concessions to other countries

Step 3: After your country has presented its peace proposal, the class will divide up into 4 groups with at least one representative from each country in each group. In these new peace negotiation groups, start by voting on the proposals from each country. Because some countries are more powerful than others, some countries will receive more votes: Germany (3), Great Britain (3), France (2), Russia (2), Serbia (1), Ottoman Empire (1), Austro-Hungarian Empire (2), Italy (1) . Any country may abstain from voting. Modify the proposal with the most votes until you reach a consensus. If you do not reach a consensus in 45 minutes, you will write out a declaration of war stating the reasons why you are going to war.

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Learning AdviceRemember that the causes of war go beneath the surface of what countries publicly say and write. Often they have hidden agendas. Each country wants something, and they may use their alliance with another country as an excuse to pursue their real goals. Ask yourself, what is your country’s real goal(s)?

When you read the primary source documents, ask yourself these questions:

Who wrote the document and does the author have a bias? For whom is it written and why? Did the author create it for a particular cause? Was it written by an eyewitness? Was the document translated and could the translation affect the

meaning of the document? What kind of document is it and who was meant to see it? What was happening when this document was written? When you prepare your peace proposal, make sure that you offer

something to your enemies. What are you willing to compromise and/or allow to change so that the other country can 'save face.' List your main points succinctly.

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1879-1914: The Deadly Alliances

In order to understand exactly what went wrong back in the summer of 1914 we will examine the key alliances that occurred between 1879 and 1914. These interlocking "defense" treaties, once tripped, would bring the mighty armies together on a collision course that no one could stop.

Please note that not all alliances are listed here. There's too many and this is a history of the First World War, not 19th century Europe.

1879 to

1918The Dual Alliance  Austria-Hungary

 GermanyBismarck wanted to protect Austria-Hungary from possible Russian aggression. Relations betweenRussia and Austria-Hungary had soured as a result of Russia attacking Turkey and imposing the Treaty of San Stefano. The Austro-Russian understanding of 1873 had fallen victim to upheaval in the Balkans.

In protecting Austria-Hungary from Russia, Germany was looking out for her own interests. If Austria-Hungary were ever to fall then the Russians would be at the German door. This was an actual defensive alliance on the part of Germany.

1881 to

1887Three Emperor's League

 Austria-Hungary

 Germany

 RussiaThis was an attempt to restore stability to eastern Europe by bringing Russia into the fold of the Dual Alliance. It was not to be successful as Austro-Russian problems flared again with the Bulgarian Crisis of 1886-7.

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1881 to

1895Austro-Serbian Alliance  Austria-Hungary

 SerbiaOnce again Russia is the motivation for an alliance. This time it is to try to limit possible Russian influence in the Balkans.

1882 to

1915The Triple Alliance

 Austria-Hungary

 Germany

 ItalyThis strategic alliance was formed for the express purpose of stopping Italy from attacking Austria-Hungary in the event of war with Russia. Bismarck's Reinsurance Treaty with Russia was an attempt to avoid this seemingly inevitable war.

1883 to

1916The Austro-German-Romanian Alliance

 Austria-Hungary

 Germany

 RomaniaSimilar in concept to the Serbian Alliance, this again was motivated by perceived Russian intentions in the Balkans. Those Russians!

1894 to

1917Franco-Russian Alliance  France

 Russia

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This major lasting alliance was the Russian reaction to several events of the day:

New German Chancellor Caprivi drops the Russian Reinsurance Treaty

Germany renews The Triple Alliance Germany also gets friendly with the

"Mediterranean Entente" (Britain, Italy and Spain against Russia and France)

However by 1895 Germany had realized that it could profit from it's relations with Russia and France, and things settled down among the powers.

1902 to

1913Russo-Bulgarian Military

Convention Bulgaria

 RussiaBulgaria, newly independent from the Ottoman Empire, allies itself with Russia in an attempt to ward off the possibility of Austro-Hungarian aggression.

1904 to

1918The Entente Cordiale  France

 Great BritainThis agreement between Great Britain and France was more a sign of healing relations than an actual alliance. The Triple Alliance powers took note.

1907 to 1917

The Anglo-Russian Entente  Great Britain

 RussiaGreat Britain and Russia, having settled their differences, take this final step toward the Triple Entente.

1907 to

The Triple Entente Great Britain

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1917  France

 RussiaThis alliance arose from the prior ententes between these three powers and as a reaction to:

Worsening relations between Germany and Great Britain due to the Naval arms race (see Tirpitz Plan)

Germany's attempt to exploit the Russian loss of the Russo-Japanese War of 1905

This final alliance drew the lines for the war that would follow. Germany's worst fears of encirclement were realized and a two front war had been made a certainty.

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Assassination in Sarajevo – June 28, 1914

"Some damn foolish thing in the Balkans,"

This was Bismarck's prophecy as to what would set off the seemingly unavoidable European war. He had hit the nail directly on the head. The Balkans of 1914 were a hotbed of nationalistic intrigue. The Bosnian Serbs inhabiting the southern Austro-Hungarian provinces of Bosnia-Herzogovina wanted to be united with their brothers living across the Drina (Dunav) in Serbia proper. Austria-Hungary, having officially annexed Turkish Bosnia-Herzogovina in 1908, was not about to let go of it. Maybe an act of supreme defiance would convince Vienna otherwise; maybe the dream of a greater Serbia could be realized by such an act.

An assassination of Emperor Franz Josef was out of the question. He was well respected throughout the empire and his heir's politics were even worse for Serbian cause than his own. The heir to the Hapsburg throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was in favor of giving an equal voice to the Slavs of the empire - a belief counter to the very core of the Serb cause.1 The Archduke was also Inspector General of the Austrian army. The summer maneuvers would bring him into the area and diplomacy would ordain a visit to Sarajevo on June 28th, St. Vitus Day, a Serbian holiday. It seems fate had decided the act.1 While this may sound contradictory, it should be noted the common belief was that if the Slavs within the Austro-Hungarian empire were appeased, the chance of an insurrection would be greatly reduced, and consequently, the goal of a greater Serbia would never be realized.

Prologue

28-Jun-1914 in Sarajevo was a typical summer day in the Balkans - blistering. For the Serbs it was St. Vitus day. It memorialized the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 where the Serbs were defeated by Turkey. The Serbs would mark the day with a feast.

It was also a special day for Archduke Franz Ferdinand - it was his 14th wedding anniversary. He would make it a special day for his wife Sophie. In Vienna she, not being of royal enough blood, was not allowed to ride in the same car with her husband during high affairs of state. But this was Sarajevo. Here, on their anniversary, she would be afforded all the royal treatment of which she was deprived at home. The Duchess of Hohenburg would most certainly ride in the car with her husband today.

To seven tubercular Bosnian Serb youths, 28-Jun-1914 would be the day they made their mark for the Serbian cause - a mark that would ultimately be left on the entire world.

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The Assassins

"The Narodna Odbrana proclaims to the people that Austria is our first and greatest enemy."

The group of seven ranged in age from 19 to 27. Only one had a police record which was only for striking a teacher. They were all members of the secret Serbian nationalist movement Mlada Bosna ("Young Bosnia"). All had tuberculosis, a death sentence in 1914.

Nedjelko Cabrinovic Vasco Cubrilovic Trifko Grabez Danilo Ilic Mohammed Mehmedbasic Cvijetko Popovic Gavrilo Princip

Their training and arms came from Belgrade's "Union or Death" terrorist league. This faction of the Serbian "Black Hand" was under the leadership of a "Colonel Apis" (the bee), whose real identity was Colonel Dragutin Dimitrievitch, no less than the head of Serbian military intelligence. The assassins returned to Sarajevo on Jun-3 with pistols, bombs and cyanide to await the visit of the Archduke.

Security Arrangements

The diplomatic teletype had been busy clicking out warnings from consulates all over the world. The messages were clear: the Archduke would be wise to cancel his planned visit to Sarajevo. In Vienna, Serbian ambassador Jovan Jovanovic (acting on orders from Prime Minister Pasic) visited Austrian finance Minister Bilinski to warn that if the Archduke should visit then:

"some young Serb might put a live round instead of a blank cartridge in his gun, and fire it."

Belinski replied:

"Let us hope nothing happens,"

Jovanovic's warning was never passed on.

For some reason, despite all of these pleas and warnings, the Archduke not only insisted on going to Sarajevo, but he also put the city off-limits to the nearby Austrian army for the day. This same army could have been used to provide a much needed security presence on the crowded streets. Perhaps he didn't want any trace of Vienna to ruin his anniversary.

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The Act

The motorcade consisted of four cars; the Archduke and his wife rode in the second car. On their way to city hall they were to cross the Miljacka river at Cumuria Bridge. Mehmedbasic and Cabrinovic were waiting. Mehmedbasic did not throw his bomb, later stating that a policeman was blocking his way. Cabrinovic's path was not blocked and he threw his bomb at the second car. It was a good shot but the Archduke, protecting Sophie, deflected it onto the street. A fragment from the explosion hit Sophie in the face and others wounded passengers in the third car - Count Boos-Waldeck, Colonel von Merizzi and Sophie's attendant, Countess Lanjus. About a dozen onlookers were also injured.

Cabrinovic swallowed his cyanide and jumped into the Miljacka but he vomited up the poison and found that the river was only a few inches deep. He was taken into custody.

The first two cars continued on their way to city hall. Franz Ferdinand joked that the would-be assassin would probably be given the Medal of Merit in Vienna. The mayor of Sarajevo, Fehim Effendi Curcic, rode in the first car and was unaware of what had transpired at the bridge. The noise of the motorcade had drowned out the bomb. The motorcade now passed Cubrilovic, Popovic, and Ilic who did nothing. There were only two chances left and they were Grabez and Princip.

When they arrived at City Hall the furious Archduke interrupted Curcic's welcome speech, seizing him by the arm:

"One comes here to visit and is received with bombs. Mr. Mayor, what do you say? It's outrageous! All right, now you may speak."

The Archduke calmed down during the mayor's speech and gave the diplomatic closing words:

"I assure you of my unchanged regard and favor."

Franz Ferdinand announced he would like to go to the hospital to check on the other bomb victims. He begged Sophie to stay behind but she insisted on accompanying him. Oskar Potiorek, Military Governor of the province, assured the angry Archduke:

"Your Imperial Highness, you can travel quite happily. I take the responsibility."

And with that they were off. The Archduke's chauffeur was following the mayor's car. They passed the sixth assassin, Grabez, at Imperial Bridge. He merely watched as the car sped by. The mayor's driver made a wrong turn. Where he should have taken the Appel Quay, he turned onto Francis Joseph street, a street named for the Archduke's uncle. Potiorek, riding with the Archduke and Sophie, cried out:

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"What's this? We've taken the wrong way!"

The driver applied the brakes and the car came to a stop not five feet from Gavrilo Princip. Unlike his cohorts, Princip acted quickly and precisely, drawing his pistol and firing twice before the car could complete its turn. The shots made little noise and the car sped off. Potiorek looked at the couple and, at first, thought that they were unhurt. In actuality, the Archduke had been hit in the neck and Sophie in the stomach. The Archduke opened his mouth and a stream of blood poured out. Sophie cried:

"For heaven's sake, what's happened to you?"

She was in shock and unaware that she too had been shot. She then lost consciousness. Franz Ferdinand turned to his wife with the words:

"Sophie dear, Sophie dear, don't die. Stay alive for our children."

He then keeled over whispering:

"Es ist nichts, Es ist nichts..." (It is nothing, It is nothing...)

They were both dead by 11:30 that morning.

Meanwhile back at Francis Joseph Street, Princip had tried to kill himself first with his gun and then with cyanide. The gun was knocked from his hand, and the cyanide, as was the case with Cabrinovic, only made him retch. The throng closed in on him and roughed him up. He was, astonishingly, taken into custody alive.

Epilogue

Princip and Cabrinovic both held their tongues under police interrogation. It was Ilic, caught by chance in a suspect roundup, who broke and exposed the identities of his co-conspirators. By July 5th all were apprehended with the exception of Mehmedbasic, the only member to escape. The inquest lasted through July but was left to Sarajevo by Vienna and, to say the least, was grossly mishandled. The only fact that was established was that the weapons had come from Serbia. The complicity of the Serbian government was never proven. Friedrich von Wiesner, an Austrian official sent to investigate the proceedings in Sarajevo, wired his findings back to Vienna:

"There is nothing to indicate that the Serbian government knew about the plot."

This wire would not spare Serbia.

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The July Crisis Timeline“The Month of the Plotters”

"The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime."British Foreign Minister Sir Edward Grey 3-Aug-1914

Listed below are the events that turned what should have been a localized incident, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, into a world conflict. It was a month that could have been used to "turn things off." Instead, certain individuals decided to use the assassination as a means to an end. The flames of that day in Sarajevo would be fanned until they reached tragic proportions. I have decided to just list the events as they occurred. If they seem confused and complex with double dealing and backpedalling then I've succeeded in getting the atmosphere across to you. So go on, you be judge of who the true villains were during the long month of July in the summer of 1914. 28-Jun-1914Sunday

The Archduke is assassinated in Sarajevo. Assassins Princip and Cabrinovic are taken into

custody. 29-Jun-1914Monday

Belgrade wires its condolences to Vienna. Serbian Prime Minister Nikola Pasic renounces the

Black Hand and orders all public meeting places closed.

The week long festival celebrating St. Vitus Day festival is cancelled.

Widespread rioting and looting by Croats and Moslems in Sarajevo directed towards the Serbian population. Good deal of property damage with injuries.

Austrian Foreign Minister Count Leopold von Berchtold's initial stance is one of moderation; dismiss Belgrade's minister of police, jail all suspected terrorists, and dissolve extremist groups. Austrian army Chief of Staff General Conrad von Hotzendorff wants invasion but needs sixteen days to mobilize his troops.

The Austrians are aware of a trip by French President Raymond Poincare and Prime Minister Rene Viviani to Russia that will end 23-Jul-1914. It was agreed that no action should take place until then. It would not do to have French and Russians

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in such close contact during the crisis to follow. Hungarian Prime Minister, Count Istvan Tisza,

does not want any action that could bring war with Russia. He is in direct conflict with Austrian counterpart, Count Berchtold.

London newspaper runs headline: "To Hell with Serbia". However, King George V decrees seven days of mourning.

Not to be outdone, Czar Nicholas II orders twelve days of mourning.

"Serbia must learn to fear us again. Otherwise, our old border regions, and not just the annexed provinces, will be in danger."

Austrian Charge d'Affaires in Belgrade, Wilhelm Ritter von Storck 30-Jun-1914Tuesday

German Ambassador to Vienna, Count Heinrich von Tschirschky, warns Berchtold against employing "hasty measures in settling accounts with Serbia".

2-Jun-1914Thursday

Emperor Franz Josef sends a letter to Kaiser Wilhelm II thanking him for his condolences regarding the Archduke's death. The letter contains undertones of the actions to follow.

"For me, it is a great worry less."

Austrian Emperor Franz Josef on the Archduke's death 4-Jul-1914Saturday

Archduke Franz Ferdinand is buried. Victor Naumann, messenger for the German

Foreign Office, arrives in Vienna to assure German support in the event Russia was provoked by Austrian action.

Foreign Office Chief Alexander Hoyos volunteers to take the letter requesting support, composed by Franz Josef and Berchtold, to Berlin and deliver it to the Kaiser personally. The letter has been composed with moderation. Hoyos will see that it is interpreted with hostility.

5-Jul-1914Sunday

German Foreign Minister Gottlieb von Jagow leaves for his honeymoon in Lucerne.

Hoyos arrives in Berlin and is accompanied to Potsdam Palace by the Austrian Ambassador to Germany, Count L. de Szogyeny-Marich, where they meet with the Kaiser. The goal of the mission is to secure German backing for any actions

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Austria-Hungary might take. No notes exist from this meeting but it is widely accepted that they received the promises of support they sought. The blank check had been given.

All but one of the seven assassins have now been apprehended. Mehmedbasic would be the only member of the assassination team to escape. See Assassination in Sarajevo for more details.

"Russia is in no way prepared for war."

Kaiser Wilhelm II 6-Jul-1914Monday

Having completed his meeting with Hoyos and Szogyeny, the Kaiser departs for his annual North Sea cruise. The twenty day cruise had been planned for months and the Kaiser saw nothing in events that would cause him to cancel it. Besides it might appear that something was wrong should the cruise be cancelled.

7-Jul-1914Tuesday

The Austro-Hungarian Ministerial Council meets to consider the implications of the 'blank check'. Some sort of action will be taken against Serbia. Hungarian Prime Minister Tisza voices reservations on these plans.

8-Jul-1914Wednesday

Szogyeny, still in Berlin, sends a wire prepared by Hoyos to Tisza and Berchtold. The wire intimates that "The Kaiser would deplore our not taking advantage of the present moment which is favorable to us." Hoyos had fabricated this statement, and by doing so, brought the shadow of the Kaiser to Conrad's cause.

Berchtold, detecting a change in the political wind also comes around to Conrad's side. Serbia must be invaded. Hungarian Prime Minister Tisza must be converted to the war camp.

Berchtold recommends that Conrad and Minister of War, Baron Alexander von Krobatin, proceed with their vacation plans lest something be suspected.

"It would be a good thing if you and the War Minister would go on leave for awhile so as to keep up an appearance that nothing is going on.""

Austrian Foreign Minister Count Leopold von Berchtold to Austrian army Chief of Staff General Conrad von Hotzendorff

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9-Jul-1914Thursday

The Austrians meet to formalize their strategy. A non-ultamatum super-ultimatum will be used. A non-ultimatum in that it will be in the form of a simple timed note; a super-ultamatum in that it will be formulated to generate a refusal. The fate of Serbia has been sealed.

10-Jul-1914Friday

Berchtold dispatches Friedrich von Wiesner to Sarajevo to report on the assassination inquest's findings.

The Russian minister to Serbia drops dead. 13-Jul-1914Monday

Wiesner wires his findings back to Berchtold: Nothing has been found to implicate the Serbian government in the assassination. Berchtold keeps the findings away from Franz Josef.

Krobatin leaves for vacation in Bad Gastein as planned.

"The note is being composed so that the possibility of its acceptance is practically excluded."

German Ambassador to Vienna, Count Heinrich von Tschirschky, to German Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg 14-Jul-1914Tuesday

Berchtold wins over Tisza by promising that no territorial demands will be placed upon Serbia. Berchtold was lying - Serbia had already been partitioned on paper. Tisza had written several letters to Emperor Franz Josef pleading for leniency in dealing with Serbia. Berchtold had these intercepted before they made it to the Emperor. He and Conrad would have the war against Serbia for which they had waited so long.

Conrad leaves for vacation in Innichen as planned.

"Now we can no longer hold back. It will be a terrible war."

Emperor Franz Josef upon hearing of the Kaiser's support 15-Jul-1914Wednesday

Poincare and Viviani depart France for their visit to Russia.

16-Jul-1914Thursday

Both the Italian and Russian ambassadors in Vienna warn the Russian government in St. Petersburg: Austria is considering decisive action against the Serbs.

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Word of the planned Austrian action against Serbia has hit the diplomatic circuit. The British are now aware that something is up in Austria.

18-Jul-1914Saturday

Berchtold visits British Ambassador to Vienna, Sir Maurice de Bunsen. The ambassador notes that the Foreign Minister "was unusually chatty and agreeable."

19-Jul-1914Sunday

The Austrian Ministerial Council meets in secret. It is decided that Conrad shall be given his chance and Serbia will be "beaten to earth."

The Ultimatum to Serbia is drafted. 20-Jul-1914Monday

The ultimatum is delivered to Bad Ischl. Franz Josef get his first look at the "jewel".

"This duplicity of Austria is intolerable."

German Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg 21-Jul-1914Tuesday

Berchtold visits Franz Josef at Bad Ischl to get final approval of the ultimatum to Serbia. Berchtold finesses approval from the Emperor.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Sazonov warns German Ambassador Count Friedrich von Pourtales that Russia will not allow Austria-Hungary to take any military action against Serbia.

Everything is ready. Now it's just a waiting game until the French president and prime minister end their Russian visit on the 23rd.

22-Jul-1914Wednesday

After viewing the text of the ultimatum, German Undersecretary Arthur Zimmermann comments that "the note is too sharp."

23-Jul-1914Thursday

Austrian Ambassador to Serbia, Baron Vladimir von Giesl, delivers the ultimatum at 6:00 pm sharp. The reply must come within 48 hours.

Giesl has been instructed to regard any reply as unacceptable.

Pasic and many of his cabinet are in the southern provinces on a political tour. The Minister of Public Information, Ljuba Jovanovic is the first Serb to see the "note."

Pasic and the cabinet are called back to Belgrade.

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24-Jul-1914Friday

Pasic returns to Belgrade at 5:00 am. Giesl and staff begin burning sensitive diplomatic

papers and cipher books. They are already preparing for their departure from Belgrade on tomorrow's evening train.

Prince Alexander urgently wires the Russian Czar for assistance and guidance in the matter.

Russia advises Pasic to "proceed with extreme caution."

Serbia makes the contents of the ultimatum public in a hope to gain public support. The world is aghast at the contents. They ask for the impossible.

The Kaiser hears about the ultimatum from his yacht's radio officer who read it in the Norwegian newspaper.

"The most formidable demand ever imposed on one state by another."

British Foreign Minister Sir Edward Grey on the Austrian ultimatum 25-Jul-1914Saturday

The reply to the note is formulated in such a way as to yield where at all possible. This reply must also win public support.

The Serbian leadership fears for the worst. Austria will attack no matter what the contents of the reply. Serbia orders general mobilization of it's army at 3:00 pm. Nobody knew it, but, World War I had just begun.

With a mere 5 minutes to go, Pasic personally delivers the reply to Giesl at 5:55 pm. The reply yields almost everywhere. It might as well have yielded nothing.

The Austrian legation departs Belgrade on the 6:30 pm train as planned. The train is across the Danube and back in the Empire by 6:40 pm.

The Austrian mobilization order must be signed by Emperor Franz Josef. Berchtold obtains this signature at 7:23 pm by telling the aged Emperor that the Serbs were already attacking. Conrad was given his marching orders. Alarm Day for the Austrian army was set for 27-Jul and troop movements would begin on the day following.

An oversight: Germany has not been informed of these actions by her ally, Austria-Hungary.

"Part of your demands we have accepted... For the rest, we

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place our hopes on your loyalty and chivalry as an Austrian general."

Serbian Prime Minister Nikola Pasic delivering the reply to the Austrian ambassador, Baron Vladimir von Giesl 26-Jul-1914Sunday

A copy of the ultimatum is wired to Poincare aboard the French battle cruiser France.

Russia enters state of pre-mobilization. Conrad informs Berchtold that he will not be

ready for full military action before 15-Aug-1914. Shelling would have to do until then.

"How did it all happen?"

The Kaiser's first words to Bethmann-Hollweg upon his return 27-Jul-1914Monday

Wilhelm cuts short his cruise and returns to Potsdam.

The British fleet has just completed its summer maneuvers and is preparing to return to routine duty. Churchill orders the fleet to proceed to war stations. The fleet would be ready if the crisis got out of hand.

Germany officially and publicly advises Austria against British mediation.

Grey feels out the British cabinet by posing the hypothetical question of Great Britain's entering into a war if France were attacked by Germany.

The French Chief of Staff, Joffre, and the French War Minister, Adolphe Messimy, express their hopes through the military attache in St. Petersburg that should war break out, the Russians would immediatly take the offensive in East Prussia.

The French issue standby mobilization orders.

28-Jul-1914Tuesday

Serbian armed forces Chief of Staff, General Radomir Putnik is taken prisoner in Budapest as he was returning from vacation by train. After being held for a time, he is released on "orders from an all highest level". He is escorted to the Serbian frontier in Conrad's private railroad car.

11:00 am. One month after the assassination, almost to the minute, Austria telegrams a declaration of war to Serbia. A telegram declaring war? At first Belgrade thinks it is a

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hoax. British Foreign Minister Grey proposes a

meeting of French, German, and Italian diplomats in an effort to cool the crisis. No one is interested.

German Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg admits he was duped by the Austrians and offers his resignation to the Kaiser. The Kaiser refuses stating: "You have cooked this broth, now you will eat it.". The Chancellor vents his frustration with Austria in a wire to the German Ambassador to Vienna, Tschirschky.

Austrian artillery opens up fire on Belgrade from across the Danube.

Word of the Austrian declaration of war reaches Saint Petersburg late in the afternoon. Maurice Paleologue, French Ambassador to Russia, is quick to assure the Czar that Russia can count on France to the fullest extent.

"Serbia has in fact met the Austrian demands in so wide-sweeping a manner that if the Austro-Hungarian Government adopted a wholly uncompromising attitude, a gradual revulsion of public opinion against it in all of Europe would have to be reckoned with."

German Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg in a wire to the German Embassy in Vienna 29-Jul-1914Wednesday

At 1:00 am the Kaiser and Czar Nicholas II begin the famous Willy-Nilly correspondence via telegram

The Czar orders mobilization of four military districts: Moscow, Kiev, Odessa, and Kazan.

Germany demands that Russia demobilize at once.

The Kaiser wires Saint Petersburg pleading for restraint since he is currently urging Austria to back off.

The Czar calls off mobilization, for the moment. The Russians decide on only partial mobilization and only against Austria, not Germany.

Austrian Ambassador, Count Szapary, urges Russian Foreign Minister Sazonov to call off Russian mobilization. During the meeting Sazonov is informed that Austrian monitors are shelling Belgrade from the Danube. The meeting ends in a shouting match and Szapary walks out.

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In London, Grey warns German Ambassador Lichownowsky that British neutrality cannot be counted on.

30-Jul-1914Thursday

Just past midnight, Bethmann-Hollweg, worried about the true extent of the crisis, summons British Ambassador Edward Goschen in order to strike a bargain. Would Britain stay out if Germany's war with France placed no territorial demands on France or Belgium? The same could not be promised for the French colonies. Goschen discussed this offer with Grey who regarded it as a "disgrace." The answer was no.

Jagow warns Grey that if Germany mobilizes, France, current threat or not, would be attacked per Germany's war plan.

At 5:00 pm Austrian Emperor Franz Josef declares full mobilization.

Bethmann-Hollweg wires his Ambassador in Vienna, Tschirschky, that the Austrians must be made to negotiate some sort of settlement. Occupation of Belgrade would be preferable to war. The Chancellor is convinced that Britain will come in against Germany.

In a final attempt to avert war, Bethmann-Hollweg goes against earlier German advice and wires Berchtold that he should accept the British offer of mediation. Berchtold declines.

The Czar changes his mind for the third time: Russia proclaims general mobilization.

"A gray day, in keeping with my mood."

Czar Nicholas II's diary entry for 31-Jul-1914 31-Jul-1914Friday

Triggered by the Russian general mobilization, at 11:55 am Germany declares Kriegsgefahr Zustand. Danger of war - a state of pre-mobilization.

Germany issues an ultimatum to Russia: demobilize fully within 12 hours or Germany would begin mobilization and declare war on Russia.

Germany issues an ultimatum to France: declare neutrality within 18 hours and hand over the frontier forts at Liege and Namur in a show of good faith. At 5:15 pm the French cabinet authorizes full mobilization.

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1-Aug-1914Saturday

In light of Russia failing to meet the terms of the demobilization ultimatum, Germany mobilizes and declares war on Russia.

2-Aug-1914Sunday

Germans request free passage through Belgium. Germany and Turkey sign a secret treaty of

alliance. Italy declares neutrality. 3-Aug-1914Monday

Germany declares war on France. The Belgians refuse the German army passage

through their country. 4-Aug-1914Tuesday

The German army violates Belgian neutrality as the Schlieffen Plan is put into motion. The invasion of France is on.

The British issue an ultimatum to Germany: withdraw all troops from Belgian soil by midnight or a state of war will exist between the two countries.

The British Ambassador, Sir Edward Goschen, calls on Bethmann-Hollweg for the final time. The Chancellor tells the ambassador: "just for a scrap of paper Great Britain was going to make war on a kindred nation who desired nothing better than to be friends with her." Germany never responds to the the British ultimatum.

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