Serbia's Ultimatum: Austria's Demands And The Road To War

On July 23, 1914, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding that they accept Austro-Hungarian involvement in the investigation of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, suppress anti-Austrian propaganda, and take steps to eliminate terrorist organisations within its borders. This ultimatum, delivered by Baron Giesl von Gieslingen, ambassador of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to Serbia, came nearly a month after the assassination of the Archduke and his wife by a young Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Austria-Hungary, with the support of its allies in Berlin, pursued a hard-line policy towards Serbia, aiming to force a military conflict and achieve a quick and decisive victory before Serbia's powerful ally, Russia, could react. The ultimatum caused a stir in foreign capitals, with British Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey declaring that he had never before seen one state address to another independent state a document of so formidable a character. Serbia's response, which conceded to most demands but refused to accept Austria-Hungary's participation in the internal inquiry, ultimately led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, marking the beginning of World War I.

Serbia must accept Austrian delegates to investigate the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

On the evening of July 23, 1914, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding that they accept Austrian delegates to investigate the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. This was delivered by the ambassador of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to Serbia, Baron Giesl von Gieslingen, to the Serbian foreign ministry. The ultimatum came nearly a month after the assassination of the Archduke and his wife by a young Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Bosnia.

The Austrian-Hungarian government waited three weeks after the assassination before issuing its formal response. They suspected the Serbian government was either directly involved or complicit in the act. The ultimatum was also an attempt to settle a long-standing score with Serbia, their near neighbour. The Austro-Hungarians demanded that Serbia accept their delegates to suppress subversive movements and take part in the investigation. This was a crucial part of their ultimatum, which also included demands to suppress anti-Austrian propaganda and eliminate terrorist organisations within Serbia.

The Serbian government was already conducting its own internal investigation, but the ultimatum gave them just 48 hours to respond. The ultimatum caused a stir in foreign capitals, with British Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey declaring that he had "never before seen one state address to another independent state a document of so formidable a character." Winston Churchill, then Britain's First Lord of the Admiralty, called it "the most insolent document of its kind ever devised."

Serbia's response effectively accepted all terms of the ultimatum except one: they would not allow Austria-Hungary to participate in any internal inquiry, stating that this would violate their constitution and criminal procedure law. This response gained Serbia support from international observers of the conflict. However, it made little difference to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and on July 28, 1914, they declared war on Serbia, beginning World War I.

Serbia must suppress anti-Austrian propaganda

The Austrian ultimatum to Serbia, delivered on July 23, 1914, was a pivotal moment in the lead-up to World War I. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, by a young Serbian nationalist provided the context for this ultimatum. The Austro-Hungarian government, suspecting Serbian government involvement, seized the opportunity to settle scores with its neighbour.

The ultimatum, presented by Baron Giesl, the Austrian ambassador to Serbia, to the Serbian finance minister Lazar Paču, contained ten demands, two of which specifically addressed the suppression of anti-Austrian propaganda. These were:

• Serbia must accept “’representatives of the Austro-Hungarian government for the suppression of subversive movements”
• Serbia must "bring to trial all accessories to the Archduke’s assassination and allow Austro-Hungarian delegates (law enforcement officers) to take part in the investigation"

The Austro-Hungarian government accused the Serbian government of failing to repress subversive movements and tolerating unrestrained language in the press that glorified perpetrators of outrages against the Monarchy. They demanded that Serbia suppress all anti-Austrian propaganda and take steps to root out terrorist organisations within its borders. Specifically, they wanted Serbia to:

• Dissolve the society known as "Narodna Odbrana" and confiscate its means of propaganda
• Take necessary measures to prevent dissolved societies from continuing their activities under different names and forms
• Remove from public instruction anything that serves or could serve to incite propaganda or hatred towards Austria-Hungary
• Remove from military service and administration, officers and officials guilty of propaganda or expressions of hostility towards the Austro-Hungarian government

The ultimatum caused a stir in foreign capitals, with British Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey commenting that he had "never before seen one state address to another independent state a document of so formidable a character." Serbia's response, which conceded to most demands but refused to allow Austrian participation in any internal inquiry, ultimately led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, marking the beginning of World War I.

Serbia must allow Austrian delegates to take part in the investigation of the assassination

On the 23rd of July 1914, Austria-Hungary presented an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding a response within 48 hours. This ultimatum was a response to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Bosnia, on June 28, 1914. One of the key demands of the ultimatum was that Serbia allow Austrian delegates to participate in the investigation of the assassination. Specifically, Point 6 of the ultimatum stated that Serbia was to:

> "Bring to trial all accessories to the Archduke’s assassination and allow Austro-Hungarian delegates (law enforcement officers) to take part in the investigation."

Austria-Hungary suspected Serbian government involvement in the assassination or, at the very least, had knowledge of it. By demanding participation in the investigation, Austria-Hungary sought to exert pressure on Serbia and hold them accountable.

Serbia's response to the ultimatum was a crucial factor leading to the outbreak of World War I. While Serbia accepted most of the demands, it refused to accept Austrian delegates in the investigation, citing violations of its Constitution and criminal procedure law. This defiance provided the pretext for Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, marking the beginning of the First World War.

The investigation into the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was a critical issue for Austria-Hungary, as it sought to uncover any Serbian involvement and prevent further threats to its interests in the Balkans. By demanding participation, Austria-Hungary intended to assert its power and influence over Serbia, demonstrating its determination to protect its position in the region.

Serbia must take steps to root out and eliminate terrorist organisations within its borders

On the 23rd of July 1914, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding that they take steps to root out and eliminate terrorist organisations within its borders. This came in the aftermath of the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife by a young Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Bosnia. The specific organisation believed to have aided the archduke's killer was the Black Hand, which was thought to have provided weapons and safe passage from Belgrade to Sarajevo.

Serbia was given 48 hours to respond to the ultimatum, which included ten demands. The most relevant demand was that Serbia "accept 'representatives of the Austro-Hungarian government for the suppression of subversive movements' (Point 5) and that Serbia 'bring to trial all accessories to the Archduke's assassination and allow Austro-Hungarian delegates (law enforcement officers) to take part in the investigation' (Point 6)".

The ultimatum caused a stir in foreign capitals, with British Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey commenting that he had "never before seen one state address to another independent state a document of so formidable a character." Serbia's response effectively accepted all terms of the ultimatum except one: it would not allow Austria-Hungary to participate in any internal inquiry, stating that this would violate its constitution and criminal procedure law. Despite Serbia's acquiescence to most of the demands, Austria-Hungary was unmoved and declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, marking the start of World War I.

Serbia was expected to take decisive action against terrorist organisations operating within its borders, specifically those that posed a threat to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This included groups like the Black Hand, which was believed to have supported the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. By demanding that Serbia accept Austro-Hungarian representatives to suppress subversive movements and bring the assassins to trial, Austria-Hungary aimed to ensure a thorough investigation and prevent further terrorist acts.

The presence of Austro-Hungarian delegates in the investigation was intended to guarantee Serbia's cooperation and allow for swift and efficient action against terrorist organisations. Serbia's refusal to accept foreign delegates in its internal affairs highlighted its commitment to sovereignty but also contributed to the escalation of tensions between the two nations.

To eliminate terrorist organisations within its borders, Serbia was expected to take a multifaceted approach. This included suppressing publications that incited hatred or contempt towards the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, dissolving societies that engaged in propaganda against the Empire, and removing individuals implicated in subversive activities from positions of power, such as the military and administration.

Additionally, Serbia was tasked with confiscating propaganda materials, implementing stricter control over public instruction, and cooperating with Austro-Hungarian representatives to suppress the subversive movement. The aim was to create an environment intolerant of terrorist activities and to foster good neighbourly relations between the two nations.

Ultimately, Serbia's response to the ultimatum fell short of fully addressing Austria-Hungary's demands, particularly regarding the investigation of the Archduke's assassination. This intransigence, coupled with complex geopolitical alliances, led to a declaration of war and the onset of World War I.

Serbia must arrest Major Voija Tankositch and Milan Ciganovitch

On the evening of July 23, 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Empire delivered an ultimatum to the Serbian foreign ministry, nearly a month after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie von Chotkovato, by a young Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Bosnia. The ultimatum, which was developed in coordination with the German foreign office, included 10 demands, one of which was the arrest of Major Voija Tankositch and Milan Ciganovitch.

Major Vojislav Tankosić was a Serbian military officer, a vojvoda of the Serbian Chetnik Organization, and a major in the Serbian Army. He was also a member of the Black Hand, a Serbian terrorist group that was supported by the Serbian government and believed to have aided and abetted the archduke's killer, Gavrilo Princip, and his cohorts. Tankosić was accused of involvement in the assassination of the Archduke and was arrested by the Serbian government following the incident. However, he was later forgiven when Austria attacked Serbia, as his Chetnik forces played a crucial role in preventing Belgrade from falling into Austrian hands during the first night of the war.

Milan Ciganović was a Serbian revolutionary and a senior member of the Black Hand group. He played a major role in the conspiracy to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand by supplying the assassins with four revolvers, six bombs, and vials of poison. Ciganović also worked closely with Colonel Dragutin Dimitrijevic, the chief of the Intelligence Department of the Serbian General Staff, and there is evidence to suggest that he informed Nikola Pasic, the prime minister of Serbia, about the planned assassination.

The Austro-Hungarian government demanded that the Serbian government arrest Tankositch, Ciganovitch, and Dragutin Dimitrijevic, and send them to face trial in Vienna. However, on July 25, 1914, Nikola Pasic, the prime minister of Serbia, refused to hand over these men, stating that it would be a violation of Serbia's Constitution and criminal law. This response, along with Serbia's defiance of other demands, ultimately led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, marking the beginning of World War I.

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