Austria-Hungary's Fateful Declaration Of War Against Russia

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, Duchess of Hohenberg, by a Serbian nationalist. Austria-Hungary, threatened by Serbian ambition in the Balkans, sought to invade Serbia and suppress anti-Austrian propaganda within the country. After securing the support of Germany, Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum on July 23, 1914, which Serbia effectively accepted, except for one demand. However, Austria-Hungary broke diplomatic relations with Serbia on July 25 and continued with military preparedness measures. Russia, Serbia's supporter in the Balkans, responded by initiating military mobilisation against Austria-Hungary.

Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia

On July 28, 1914, exactly one month after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. This declaration of war was the culmination of a series of events that began with the assassination.

Austria-Hungary's decision to declare war was influenced by several factors. Firstly, they were threatened by Serbian ambition in the tumultuous Balkans region of Europe and believed that a show of military force was necessary to dampen Serbian support for Yugoslav nationalism, which they viewed as a threat to the unity of their multi-national empire. Additionally, Austria-Hungary sought to punish Serbia for the assassination of the Archduke, which they believed had been supported by the Serbian state.

Before declaring war, Austria-Hungary sought the support of its powerful ally, Germany. Germany assured Austria-Hungary of its backing, urging them to attack Serbia quickly to localise the war and avoid drawing in Russia, a major supporter of Serbia. On July 23, 1914, Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum, demanding that all anti-Austrian propaganda within Serbia be suppressed and that they be allowed to conduct their own investigation into the Archduke's killing. Serbia effectively accepted all demands except one. However, Austria-Hungary was not satisfied and broke off diplomatic relations with Serbia on July 25, continuing with military preparedness measures.

The impending crisis between Austria-Hungary and Serbia alerted Russia, Serbia's mighty supporter in the Balkans. Russia issued an ultimatum to Vienna via Saint Petersburg, warning Austria-Hungary against attacking Serbia. Despite this, Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia, leading Russia to commence mobilising its reserve army along the border. This mobilisation prompted Germany to demand that Russia demobilise, and when Russia did not comply, Germany declared war on Russia on August 1, 1914.

The catalyst: assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

The catalyst for World War I was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, on June 28, 1914. The assassination was carried out by a group of six conspirators, including Gavrilo Princip, a 19-year-old Bosnian Serb and member of the revolutionary society Young Bosnians. Princip and his fellow conspirators were armed with bombs and pistols by the Black Hand, a Serbian terrorist group with ties to the Serbian army.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand was in Sarajevo, Bosnia, to attend a series of military exercises. Bosnia-Herzegovina had been annexed by Austria-Hungary a few years prior, against the wishes of neighbouring Serbia, which also coveted the provinces. The visit, therefore, was already controversial, and the Archduke had received multiple warnings to cancel the trip. However, Ferdinand decided to continue with the planned events, including a motorcade through the city.

During the motorcade, Nedeljko Cabrinovic, one of the conspirators, threw a bomb at the Archduke's car, but it bounced off and exploded underneath the car behind, wounding several people. The motorcade then sped towards the town hall, but took a wrong turn and stopped right in front of Princip. Princip fired two shots, fatally wounding the Archduke and his wife.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife set off a series of events that ultimately led to World War I. Austria-Hungary, believing that Serbia was complicit in the assassination, sought to inflict a military blow on the country. However, they were wary of Russia, a major supporter of Serbia, so they first secured the support of their powerful ally, Germany, which provided what became known as a "blank cheque" of support. Austria-Hungary then presented Serbia with an ultimatum, which was largely expected to be rejected, and when Serbia did not fully comply, Austria-Hungary broke off diplomatic relations and declared war on July 28, 1914, exactly one month after the assassination.

Russia's mobilisation

The July Crisis

The July Crisis refers to a series of diplomatic and military escalations among the major powers of Europe during the summer of 1914, which ultimately led to the outbreak of World War I. The crisis began on June 28, 1914, when Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife were assassinated by a Bosnian Serb nationalist. This assassination sparked a complex web of alliances and miscalculations that resulted in hostilities among most of the major European states by early August.

Austria-Hungary's Actions

Austria-Hungary sought to punish Serbia for the assassination and to curb Serbian support for Yugoslav nationalism, which it viewed as a threat to its multi-national empire. However, wary of Russia's support for Serbia, Austria-Hungary sought assurance from its ally, Germany. Germany provided its support, urging Austria-Hungary to act quickly to localise the conflict and avoid drawing in Russia.

Russia's Partial Mobilisation

On July 23, Austria-Hungary delivered an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding, among other things, the suppression of anti-Austrian propaganda and the allowance of Austrian involvement in the investigation of the assassination. Before Serbia could respond, Russia ordered a secret partial mobilisation of its armed forces. Russia's military leadership knew they were not ready for a general war but believed that Austria-Hungary's grievance against Serbia was a pretext orchestrated by Germany. Russia's partial mobilisation increased Serbia's willingness to defy Austria-Hungary and also alarmed the German leadership, who had not anticipated the possibility of fighting Russia before France.

Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia

On July 28, 1914, one month after the assassination, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. This declaration of war effectively began World War I, as it set off a chain reaction of alliances and hostilities among the European powers.

Russia's Full Mobilisation

In response to Austria-Hungary's actions, Russia commenced mobilising its reserve army along the border. On July 31, Germany demanded that Russia demobilise, but Russia did not comply. As a result, on August 1, 1914, Germany declared war on Russia.

Impact of Russia's Mobilisation

Germany's role in the conflict

Germany's actions during the July Crisis, the month preceding the outbreak of war, are crucial to understanding its role. German leaders, particularly Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg, initially sought to de-escalate tensions and encouraged Austria-Hungary to compromise with Serbia. However, they also wanted to maintain their ally's support and contain the influence of Serbia, which was under the protection of Russia. Germany's mixed messaging and eventual support for Austria-Hungary's ultimatum to Serbia contributed to the escalation of tensions.

Germany's military and diplomatic leaders played a significant role in shaping the country's response to the crisis. The military, led by Chief of the General Staff Helmuth von Moltke, pushed for a more aggressive stance and wanted to use the crisis as an opportunity for a 'preemptive strike' against their rivals. Moltke was in favour of immediate mobilisation and war, arguing that Russia's ongoing rearmament made it essential to act before it was too late. He also believed that a quick victory could be achieved through the Schlieffen Plan, which involved a rapid invasion of France through Belgium.

On the diplomatic front, Bethmann Hollweg and Foreign Minister Gottlieb von Jagow assured Austria-Hungary of Germany's unconditional support. They tampered with a British message suggesting mediation, deleting a line that urged Austria-Hungary to avoid a foolhardy policy. This further encouraged Austria-Hungary's aggressive stance towards Serbia.

When Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, Germany mobilised its forces and prepared for war. Wilhelm II of Germany ordered German mobilisation on August 1, and Germany formally declared war on France, Belgium, and Russia the same day. This prompted Britain to enter the war on August 4, as Germany's invasion of Belgium violated Belgian neutrality, which Britain had promised to protect.

Germany's actions during the July Crisis and its subsequent declaration of war had far-reaching consequences. By escalating the conflict, Germany contributed to the outbreak of World War I, which had devastating impacts on Europe and the world. The war led to the collapse of empires, the rise of new nations, and profound political, social, and economic changes. It also set the stage for continued tensions and rivalries that would contribute to the outbreak of World War II two decades later.

The First World War

Austria-Hungary, seeking to punish Serbia and demonstrate its strength, demanded Germany's support in the event of a conflict. Germany agreed, urging Austria-Hungary to attack quickly to avoid drawing in Russia, a major supporter of Serbia. On 23 July 1914, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding the suppression of anti-Austrian propaganda and the right to conduct an investigation into the assassination. Serbia effectively accepted all demands except one, but Austria-Hungary broke off diplomatic relations on 25 July and continued military preparations.

Russia, alerted to the impending crisis, began its initial steps towards military mobilisation. On 28 July 1914, one month after the assassination, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Russia responded by ordering mobilisation in the four military districts facing Galicia, the common front with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. That night, Austrian artillery divisions initiated a brief bombardment of Belgrade across the Danube River.

On 1 August, after Russia refused to halt mobilisation, Germany declared war on Russia. Russia's ally, France, ordered its own general mobilisation that same day, and on 3 August, France and Germany declared war on each other. The German army's planned invasion of neutral Belgium prompted Britain to declare war on Germany on 4 August. Thus, within a month of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the major powers of Europe were at war.

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