Austria-Hungary's Role In World War I's Start

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife on June 28, 1914, by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, set off a chain of events that led to the outbreak of World War I. This assassination heightened tensions between Austria-Hungary and Serbia, with Austria-Hungary ultimately declaring war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, marking the beginning of the First World War. The complex web of alliances and rivalries among European powers, including Germany, Russia, France, and Britain, quickly escalated the conflict into a global war.

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife, Sophie, were assassinated in Sarajevo, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian province of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The assassination was carried out by a 19-year-old Serbian nationalist named Gavrilo Princip, who was a member of the Black Hand, a Serbian nationalist organisation.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand was in Sarajevo to inspect the military forces when he was killed. The day of the assassination, a group of six assassins, including Princip, from the nationalist group Mlada Bosna, supplied by the Black Hand, gathered on the street where the Archduke's motorcade was due to pass. One of the assassins, Nedeljko Čabrinović, threw a grenade at the car, but missed. The convoy was able to continue, and Franz Ferdinand went on to visit the Sarajevo Hospital. On the way, the convoy took a wrong turn into a street where Princip coincidentally stood. Princip shot and killed Franz Ferdinand and his wife.

The reaction among the Austrian people was mild, almost indifferent. However, the assassination intensified existing traditional religion-based ethnic hostilities in Bosnia, and Austrian authorities encouraged violence against the Serb residents, resulting in the Anti-Serb riots of Sarajevo. Austro-Hungarian authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina imprisoned and extradited approximately 5,500 prominent Serbs, and a predominantly Muslim special militia, known as the Schutzkorps, was established to carry out the persecution of Serbs.

Following the assassination, Austrian authorities determined that the murder was carried out by the Black Hand and placed the blame for the killing on Serbia. Rumours circulated about the role of the Serbian government in the assassination, and the Austrian government wanted to investigate within Serbia to determine the role of the Serbian leadership. This situation between Austria-Hungary and Serbia resulted in the July Crisis of 1914, which ultimately led to the outbreak of World War I.

Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia

On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, marking the official start of World War I. This declaration was the culmination of a series of events and tensions that had been building up in the region. The immediate catalyst for the war was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo. The assassin, later identified as 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip, was a member of the Black Hand, a Serbian nationalist organization.

In the aftermath of the assassination, Austrian authorities blamed Serbia for the attack and began preparing an ultimatum designed to provoke a conflict. Austria-Hungary, backed by its ally Germany, presented Serbia with a list of demands, known as the July Ultimatum, which were intentionally unacceptable, intending to provide a pretext for war. Serbia accepted all but one of the demands partially, and Austria-Hungary used this as a justification to declare war.

The declaration of war by Austria-Hungary set off a chain reaction of mobilizations and counter-mobilizations across Europe. Russia mobilized its forces in support of Serbia, leading Germany to declare war on Russia on August 1. France, allied with Russia, was drawn into the conflict as well. Germany's invasion of Belgium on August 4 brought Britain and its empire into the war, as this violated Belgium's neutrality, which Britain had pledged to protect.

The tensions between Austria-Hungary and Serbia had been building for years due to Austria's perception of Serbia as a threat to the stability of its multi-ethnic empire. Additionally, Austria's annexation of Bosnia in 1908 and Serbian ambitions to unify the Slavic people in Southeast Europe further strained relations. The assassination of Franz Ferdinand provided Austria-Hungary with the opportunity to confront Serbia directly, and with the backing of Germany, they seized the moment to attempt to crush the Serbian threat.

The decision-making process within Austria-Hungary regarding the war was influenced by a small group of key figures, including Emperor Franz Joseph, Army Chief of Staff Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf, Foreign Minister Leopold Berchtold, and Hungarian Prime Minister István Tisza. Tisza notably opposed the war, warning that an attack on Serbia would likely lead to a wider European conflict. However, his stance shifted after pressure from other members of the Crown Council, who argued that failure to act would cause Germany to abandon Austria-Hungary as an ally.

The declaration of war by Austria-Hungary on Serbia thus set off a chain of events that escalated the conflict from a localized dispute to a global war, as the complex network of alliances and rivalries in Europe drew more nations into the fighting.

Russia's support of Serbia

The roots of the close bilateral relations between the two countries can be traced back to the 19th century. In the 1800s, Serbia, with Russian support, revolted against Ottoman rule and eventually gained independence. This was followed by the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, which further solidified the alliance between the two countries. Russia's protection of Serbia was officially recognized through the Russo-Turkish Akkerman Convention and the Treaty of Adrianople. However, this protection was abolished after Russia's defeat in the Crimean War in 1856.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Serbia's aspirations to create a South Slavic state (Yugoslavism) clashed with Austria-Hungary's desire to maintain its empire, which included significant Serb-inhabited lands. This conflict was further exacerbated by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, by a Serbian nationalist in 1914. Austria-Hungary saw this as an opportunity to crush the Serbian threat and issued an ultimatum to Serbia, intending to provoke a war.

Russia, aware of Austria-Hungary's aggression towards Serbia, began its initial steps towards military mobilization against Austria-Hungary. Russia's mobilization was not only to defend Serbia but also to maintain its status as a great power and gain influence in the Balkans. Russia's mobilization prompted Germany to issue an ultimatum demanding Russia's demobilization, which ultimately led to Germany declaring war on Russia on August 1, 1914.

The complex web of alliances and rivalries between the European powers further fueled the conflict. Russia's alliance with France, formalized in the 1894 Franco-Russian Alliance, brought France into the conflict alongside Russia. Additionally, Russia's ambitions to expand southward and capture Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) as a gateway to the Mediterranean Sea also played a role in its decision to support Serbia.

In summary, Russia's support of Serbia was driven by a combination of cultural, religious, and geopolitical factors, as well as its desire to maintain its influence in the Balkans and its rivalry with Austria-Hungary. The mobilization of Russian forces in support of Serbia ultimately triggered a series of declarations of war, drawing multiple European powers into what became World War I.

Germany's support of Austria-Hungary

Germany's Alliance with Austria-Hungary

Germany and Austria-Hungary had formed an alliance in 1879, which Italy joined three years later. This alliance system in Europe created a divide among the European powers, with France and Russia entering into their own alliance in 1893 due to fears of Germany's growing strength. Germany's ambitions, sense of isolation, and fear of being encircled by rival alliances drove its foreign policy. Preserving Austria-Hungary as its only reliable ally became an important part of German policy.

The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife were assassinated by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Bosnia. This assassination intensified existing ethnic hostilities and triggered a diplomatic crisis. Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the assassination and sought to punish Serbia militarily, knowing that this could lead to a conflict with Serbia's supporter, Russia.

Germany's "Blank Check" Assurance

Austria-Hungary sought Germany's support and, on July 5, 1914, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany pledged his country's unconditional backing. This assurance, known as the "blank check," marked a decisive moment in the lead-up to World War I. Germany promised to support Austria-Hungary's punitive actions against Serbia, even if it led to war with Russia and its allies, France and Great Britain.

The July Crisis

The "blank check" assurance emboldened Austria-Hungary to issue an ultimatum to Serbia on July 23, 1914, with harsh demands designed to be rejected. Russia, in turn, ordered a partial mobilisation of its armed forces, increasing the likelihood of a wider conflict. Despite attempts at mediation by Britain's Foreign Secretary, Edward Grey, Germany continued to encourage Austria-Hungary's aggressive stance.

The Outbreak of World War I

On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, and Russia mobilized in support of Serbia. In response, Germany declared war on Russia on August 1 and France on August 3. Germany's violation of Belgian neutrality brought Britain and its empire into the war on August 4, marking the start of World War I.

Germany's Role in the War

Throughout the war, Germany played a dominant role in the Austro-Hungarian Empire's decision-making and military strategy. The Austro-Hungarian Empire became increasingly dependent on Germany, and by September 1916, the German Emperor was given full control of the armed forces of the Central Powers, effectively making Austria-Hungary a satellite of Germany. Germany provided significant military and economic support to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but it was not enough to prevent the empire's eventual collapse and dissolution in 1918.

Austria-Hungary's ultimatum to Serbia

On the 23rd of July 1914, the Austro-Hungarian government issued an ultimatum to Serbia, containing six concrete demands, in order to prevent an escalation of the July Crisis. The demands were formulated as follows:

• The Serbian government was required to officially distance itself from the political campaign to unite the southern Slav peoples under Serbian leadership, which was seen as a challenge to the territorial integrity of Austria-Hungary.
• The purging of the Serbian army and civil service of anti-Austrian agitators.
• The suppression of anti-Austrian propaganda in the Serbian press.
• The tracking down and taking of legal proceedings against extremist secret organisations operating against Austria.
• The prosecution of the ringleaders of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
• The involvement of Austrian officials in the investigation and prosecution of the ringleaders on Serbian territory, which would infringe upon Serbia's state sovereignty.

The ultimatum was to be responded to within 48 hours, and the initial consequence of non-compliance was to be the breaking off of diplomatic relations. Although there was no explicit threat of war, it was clear that this would be the next step.

Serbia's reply arrived within the 48-hour deadline, on the 25th of July. Serbia accepted the majority of the demands but rejected the sixth point, concerning the involvement of Austrian officials on Serbian sovereign territory. The Austrian foreign minister refused to consider further negotiations, making it clear that Vienna was not interested in a diplomatic solution.

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