Austria's Response To Ferdinand's Assassination

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, on 28 June 1914, was a key event that led to World War I. The assassination was carried out by a group of Bosnian assassins, including Gavrilo Princip, a 19-year-old Serbian nationalist. The assassins were aided by the Black Hand, a Serbian secret society with ties to the Serbian military and government. After a failed initial attempt on the couple's lives, Princip shot and killed the Archduke and his wife. This event sparked a series of declarations that led to World War I, with Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia a month later.

Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia

Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, on June 28, 1914, was a pivotal event that set off a series of diplomatic maneuvers and military escalations, culminating in Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia. This declaration was a significant catalyst for the onset of World War I, as it triggered a chain reaction of alliances and counter-alliances that plunged Europe into a large-scale conflict. Here is a more detailed account of the events that unfolded following the assassination:

The July Crisis

The assassination of the Archduke and his wife in Sarajevo sparked a period of heightened tensions and diplomatic maneuvering known as the July Crisis. During this time, Austria-Hungary sought to punish Serbia, which it believed was complicit in the assassination plot. The Austro-Hungarian Empire issued an ultimatum to Serbia, presenting a set of demands designed to be unacceptable, making conflict almost inevitable. This ultimatum included conditions such as the suppression of anti-Austro-Hungarian propaganda in Serbian publications and the arrest of individuals involved in the assassination plot.

Mobilization and Alliances

Austria-Hungary, confident in the support of its ally Germany, began mobilizing its military forces in preparation for potential conflict with Serbia. This mobilization further escalated tensions in the region, as Serbia's allies, particularly Russia, began their own military preparations. The complex web of alliances in Europe meant that the conflict quickly spread beyond the borders of Austria-Hungary and Serbia.

Declaration of War

On July 28, 1914, exactly one month after the assassination of the Archduke, Austria-Hungary formally declared war on Serbia. This declaration set off a chain reaction, with each country's allies becoming drawn into the conflict. Within a week of the declaration, Germany, Russia, France, Belgium, Montenegro, and Great Britain had all entered the war, signaling the start of World War I.

The Outbreak of World War I

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand served as a critical trigger for the outbreak of World War I. The declaration of war by Austria-Hungary on Serbia was a pivotal moment that transformed a localized conflict into a global war. The complex network of alliances and counter-alliances meant that countries across Europe were quickly dragged into the fighting. The assassination itself was carried out by a group of Bosnian Serbs, who opposed Austro-Hungarian rule in Bosnia and sought to establish a common South Slav state.

The Human Cost

The assassination and the subsequent onset of World War I had devastating consequences for Europe and the world. The war resulted in immense loss of life, with over 16 million people, both soldiers and civilians, losing their lives in the conflict. The war also brought immense destruction and upheaval to the countries involved, reshaping the political landscape of Europe and setting the stage for a period of profound social, economic, and political change.

Austria-Hungary's allies and Serbia's allies declared war on each other

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, on June 28, 1914, was one of the key events that led to World War I. The assassination precipitated the July Crisis, which ultimately led to Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia and the start of World War I.

Austria-Hungary had several allies, including Germany and Italy, who were part of the Triple Alliance. When Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, Germany and Italy joined the fight. On the other hand, Serbia's allies included Russia, France, and Britain, who were part of the Triple Entente.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand triggered a series of events that led to Austria-Hungary's allies and Serbia's allies declaring war on each other. This chain reaction eventually escalated into World War I, one of the deadliest conflicts in history. The war resulted in the deaths of over 16 million people, including soldiers and civilians, and lasted until 1918.

Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia

Austria-Hungary Issues an Ultimatum to Serbia

After the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding that it suppress anti-Austrian propaganda, remove individuals in the Serbian military who were behind the propaganda, dissolve the Serbian nationalist organisation Narodna Odbrana, arrest individuals involved in the assassination plot, and prevent the smuggling of weapons and explosives into Austria-Hungary.

The ultimatum was intentionally worded in a way that made acceptance unlikely, and Austria-Hungary declared its intention to sever diplomatic ties if Serbia did not comply within 48 hours. Serbia's response was to partially accept the ultimatum, agreeing to some demands while finessing or rejecting others. This response was published by Austria-Hungary, which then broke off diplomatic relations with Serbia.

Austria-Hungary's ultimatum was a critical step towards the outbreak of World War I. Serbia's partial acceptance of the ultimatum was not enough to prevent Austria-Hungary from declaring war on July 28, 1914, exactly one month after the assassination of the Archduke. Within a week of this declaration, Germany, Russia, France, Belgium, Montenegro, and Great Britain had all been drawn into the conflict, and the momentum towards war became unstoppable.

Austria-Hungary's declaration of war set off a series of declarations that led to World War I

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, on June 28, 1914, set off a series of declarations that ultimately led to World War I. The assassination was carried out by a group of Bosnian assassins, including Gavrilo Princip, a 19-year-old Bosnian Serb and member of Young Bosnia, a student revolutionary group. The political objective of the assassination was to free Bosnia and Herzegovina from Austrian-Hungarian rule and establish a common South Slav state.

The assassination triggered the July Crisis, leading to Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia on July 28, 1914. This declaration set off a chain reaction, drawing in the allies of both nations. Within a week of Austria-Hungary's declaration, Germany, Russia, France, Belgium, Montenegro, and Great Britain had all entered the conflict. The momentum became unstoppable, leading to one of the deadliest conflicts in history, World War I.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the immediate cause of World War I, but other factors also contributed to the outbreak of the war. These included imperialism, nationalism, militarism, and the complex alliance system in Europe. However, the assassination served as the catalyst that escalated tensions and ultimately pushed Europe towards global conflict.

Anti-Serb riots broke out in Austria-Hungary

The anti-Serb sentiment was fuelled by the fact that the assassins were mostly ethnic Serbs and members of an organisation called Young Bosnia, which was dedicated to South Slav union. The Austro-Hungarian government soon became convinced that the Kingdom of Serbia had been behind the assassination. The violence in Sarajevo was described by writer Ivo Andrić as the "Sarajevo frenzy of hate".

The demonstrations in Sarajevo began at around 10 o'clock in the evening of 28 June. A mob of Croats and Bosnian Muslims gathered at the palace of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Bosnia, Josip Štadler, before attacking and destroying the largest hotel in Sarajevo, the Hotel Evropa, which was owned by the Serb merchant Gligorije Jeftanović. The crowds directed their anger at Serb shops, residences of prominent Serbs, Serbian Orthodox places of worship, schools, banks, and the offices of the Serb cultural society Prosvjeta and the Srpska riječ newspaper. Many members of the Austro-Hungarian upper class participated in the violence, including military officers. Two Serbs were killed on the first day of the demonstrations, and many others were attacked.

On 29 June, more aggressive demonstrations began at around 8 o'clock in the morning. Large groups of Muslims and Croats gathered on the streets, shouting, singing, and carrying black-draped Austrian flags and pictures of the Austrian emperor and the late archduke. Local political leaders gave speeches to the crowds, before smaller groups began attacking all property belonging to Sarajevo Serbs. A bank owned by a Serb was sacked, and goods taken from shops and houses of Serbs were spread on the sidewalks and streets. That evening, Potiorek declared a state of siege in Sarajevo.

The anti-Serb riots had an important effect on the position of the Russian Empire, which stated that "the responsibility for the events is not on Serbia but on those who pushed Austria into Bosnia so Russia's moral obligation is to protect the Slavic people of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the German yoke". The Italian consul in Sarajevo stated that the events had been financed by the Austro-Hungarian government.

In addition to Sarajevo and Zagreb, anti-Serb demonstrations and riots were organised in many other Austro-Hungarian cities, including Đakovo, Petrinja, Slavonski Brod, Čapljina, Livno, Bugojno, Travnik, Maglaj, Mostar, Zenica, Tuzla, Doboj, Vareš, Brčko, and Bosanski Šamac.

Frequently asked questions