Austria's Fateful Decision To Declare War On Serbia

On July 28, 1914, exactly one month after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. This declaration of war was the catalyst for World War I, with European countries declaring war on one another within a matter of days.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, were assassinated in Sarajevo. The assassination was carried out by a 19-year-old Bosnian-Serb named Gavrilo Princip, a member of a secret revolutionary society called the Young Bosnians and the Serbian nationalist society, the Black Hand. The Black Hand was a terrorist group with close ties to the Serbian army and government, dedicated to uniting Bosnia with Serbia.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand was a controversial figure who was despised by the Serbs. He had been a strong opponent of Serbian ambitions in the Balkans and had previously supported the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina by Austria-Hungary, despite knowing that this would anger Serbia. The predominantly Serb population of Bosnia-Herzegovina had long been a source of tension between Austria-Hungary and Serbia, and the annexation only served to worsen relations.

On the day of the assassination, Ferdinand and Sophie were visiting Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Despite receiving multiple warnings and surviving an earlier assassination attempt that day, the Archduke and his wife continued with their planned events. During their motorcade ride to city hall, a bomb was thrown at their car, but it missed and only wounded those in a nearby vehicle. The motorcade then sped towards the Appel Quay, a main avenue in Sarajevo, in an attempt to outrun any other potential assassins. However, they accidentally turned onto a side street where Princip was standing. Princip fired two shots, fatally wounding both the Archduke and his wife.

Austria-Hungary's annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1908

On the 28th of July 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, marking a key moment in history as it effectively began the First World War. This declaration came just a month after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife, in Sarajevo. The assassination was carried out by a Serbian-backed terrorist, Gavrilo Princip, and it served as a catalyst for the escalating tensions and complexities in the region.

Now, let's go back a little earlier and talk about the Austria-Hungary annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1908, which played a significant role in shaping the events leading up to the First World War.

On the 6th of October 1908, the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary announced its annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, two provinces in the Balkan region of Europe. While these provinces were nominally under the control of the Ottoman Sultan, they had been administered by Austria-Hungary since the Congress of Berlin in 1878. This annexation upset the fragile balance of power in the Balkans, as both provinces were coveted by several nations, including Austria, Hungary, and Serbia, which had its own pan-Slavic ambitions in the region.

The annexation permanently damaged relations between Austria-Hungary and its neighbors, especially Serbia, Italy, and Russia. Serbia, in particular, was enraged as it had its own nationalist ambitions in the region, aiming to unify the Slavic people of southeast Europe. This annexation was a significant factor in the deterioration of Austro-Serbian relations, which eventually led to the declaration of war in 1914.

The roots of the annexation can be traced back to the mid-1870s when violent rebellions against Ottoman rule in the Balkans and the subsequent repressive responses from the Ottoman Empire created a volatile situation. Russia, wanting to intervene against the Ottomans, entered into an agreement with Austria-Hungary. In the Budapest Conventions of 1877, Russia obtained Austria-Hungary's neutrality in the impending war with the Ottoman Empire in exchange for allowing Austria-Hungary to control Bosnia-Herzegovina.

After the Russians declared war and drove the Ottomans back, the Treaty of San Stefano was imposed, which reneged on the Budapest Convention and declared that Bosnia-Herzegovina would be jointly occupied by Russian and Austrian troops. However, this was overturned by the 1878 Treaty of Berlin, which granted special rights to Austria-Hungary in these provinces. Over time, Austria-Hungary solidified its control and administration of the provinces, while the Ottoman Empire remained the nominal legal owner.

In 1903, a pro-Russian dynasty came to the Serbian throne, and power shifted to elements interested in expansion into Bosnia. Relations between Serbia and Austria-Hungary gradually deteriorated, and by 1907, the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister, Alois Aehrenthal, began formulating a plan for the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. He found an opportunity in a proposal from the Russian Foreign Minister, Alexander Izvolsky, who sought better access to the Turkish Straits for Russian naval vessels.

A series of secret meetings and negotiations took place between Aehrenthal and Izvolsky, with Aehrenthal ultimately assuming he had Russian approval for the annexation. However, Izvolsky felt deceived and vehemently denounced the action when it was announced, demanding an international conference on Bosnia. The annexation sparked protests and compensations, including from Serbia, which mobilized its army and demanded concessions from Austria-Hungary.

While the crisis was eventually resolved without immediate warfare, it left a lasting impact. The embittered relations between Serbia and Austria-Hungary, coupled with Russia's resentment at being deceived, contributed to the outbreak of World War I. The complex interplay of nationalism, militarism, imperial rivalry, and power struggles set the stage for the devastating conflict to come.

Austria-Hungary's list of demands to Serbia

On the 28th of July 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, marking the beginning of World War I. This declaration came a month after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo. In the aftermath of the assassination, Austria-Hungary, with the support of Germany, pursued a hard-line policy towards Serbia, aiming to force a military conflict. On the 23rd of July, Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum, which included the following demands:

• Serbia was to suppress all anti-Austrian propaganda and take steps to eliminate terrorist organisations within its borders.
• Austria-Hungary was to be allowed to conduct its own investigation into the assassination of the Archduke, with the involvement of Austro-Hungarian officials.
• Serbia was to dissolve specific nationalist organisations, such as the Narodna Odbrana, and confiscate their means of propaganda.
• Serbia was to remove from its military and civil administration all officers and functionaries whose names the Austro-Hungarian government provided.
• Serbia was to arrest specific individuals, such as Major Vojislav Tankosić and civil servant Milan Ciganović, who were believed to be involved in the assassination plot.
• Serbia was to prevent the smuggling of weapons and explosives across its borders and punish those who assisted in the crime of Sarajevo.
• Serbia was to provide explanations for the actions of certain high-ranking Serbian officials and their statements hostile towards Austria-Hungary.

Serbia's response to the ultimatum was to accept all terms except the involvement of Austro-Hungarian officials in the investigation, which it considered a violation of its constitution and criminal procedure. This rejection was used as a pretext for Austria-Hungary to break off diplomatic relations and proceed with military preparations, ultimately leading to the declaration of war on the 28th of July.

The breakdown of diplomatic relations between Austria-Hungary and Serbia

Austria-Hungary, with encouragement from its ally Germany, saw the assassination as an opportunity to crush the Serbian threat and punish Serbia for allegedly supporting the assassins. On July 23, 1914, Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum, demanding, among other things, that all anti-Austrian propaganda within Serbia be suppressed, and that Austria-Hungary be allowed to conduct its own investigation into the assassination.

Serbia accepted all of the demands except one, which stipulated that Austro-Hungarian officials be allowed to suppress organisations hostile to Austria-Hungary on Serbian soil. In response, Austria broke off diplomatic relations with Serbia on July 25 and began preparing for military action. On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary formally declared war on Serbia, beginning World War I.

The breakdown of diplomatic relations between the two countries was a result of growing tensions and complexities in the region, including Serbian ambitions to unify Southeast Europe's Slavic people, Austria-Hungary's annexation of Bosnia in 1908, and the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913, which left Serbia as a larger and more assertive presence in the region. Additionally, the assassination of Franz Ferdinand stoked old tensions and anxieties across Europe, as other powers pledged their support for either Austria or Serbia, further escalating the conflict.

Austria-Hungary's mobilisation of the army against Serbia

On 28 July 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, marking the beginning of World War I. This declaration came exactly one month after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo. In the lead-up to the declaration, Austria-Hungary, with the encouragement and support of Germany, sought to inflict a military blow on Serbia, viewing it as a threat to the stability of its multi-ethnic empire. Here is a detailed account of Austria-Hungary's mobilisation of its army against Serbia:

Ultimatum to Serbia:

Austria-Hungary, with the backing of Germany, presented Serbia with a rigid ultimatum on 23 July 1914. The ultimatum included a series of demands, such as suppressing anti-Austrian propaganda and allowing Austria-Hungary to conduct an investigation into the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Serbia accepted all demands except one, which involved Austrian officials taking part in the investigation.

Breaking Diplomatic Relations:

On 25 July 1914, Austria-Hungary broke off diplomatic relations with Serbia, indicating its intention to proceed with military action. This move heightened tensions in Europe, as Russia, France, and Britain watched with trepidation, fearing the outbreak of a wider conflict.

Mobilisation and Military Preparations:

Austria-Hungary began mobilising its army and making military preparations for an invasion of Serbia. Emperor Franz Joseph signed a mobilisation order for eight army corps to begin operations against Serbia. The Austro-Hungarian army, under the command of General Oskar Potiorek, was assembled along the Serbian frontiers. By 12 August 1914, Austria-Hungary had amassed over 500,000 soldiers, including approximately 380,000 operational troops. However, due to railroad congestion and the need to redeploy some forces to the Russian front, the actual number of active troops available for the invasion was around 285,000.

Artillery Bombardment:

On the evening of 28 July 1914, the same day the war was declared, Austro-Hungarian artillery shelled Belgrade, the Serbian capital, from the border town of Semlin (now known as Zemun). This bombardment signalled the start of military hostilities and further escalated tensions in the region.

Invasion of Serbia:

On 12 August 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Fifth Army crossed the Drina River, marking the beginning of the first invasion of Serbia. This invasion, dubbed a "punitive expedition" by the Austro-Hungarian leadership, aimed not only to eliminate Serbia as a threat but also to punish it for fuelling South Slav irredentism within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The invasion was marked by atrocities and war crimes committed by Austro-Hungarian troops against Serbian civilians, particularly in the area of Mačva. Mass killings, executions, and acts of random violence resulted in the deaths of between 3,500 and 4,000 Serbian civilians during the short-lived occupation.

Serbian Resistance and Allied Support:

Despite being outnumbered and poorly equipped, the Serbian army and its Montenegrin allies successfully repelled three Austro-Hungarian invasions between August and December 1914. The Battle of Cer, where Serbia defeated Austria-Hungary, is considered the first Allied victory of World War I. Serbia's strategy was to hold out as long as possible, hoping for support from Russia and other allies.

In summary, Austria-Hungary's mobilisation of its army against Serbia involved a series of diplomatic and military steps, including an ultimatum, breaking diplomatic relations, mobilisation of troops, artillery bombardment, and ultimately, the invasion of Serbia. This mobilisation escalated tensions in Europe and set off a chain of events that led to the outbreak of World War I.

Frequently asked questions