Austria's Fateful Decision: July 23, 1914

On July 23, 1914, Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum, demanding that Serbia suppress anti-Austrian sentiment and allow Austria-Hungary to conduct an inquiry into the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. This ultimatum was issued with the full support of Germany, Austria-Hungary's powerful ally, and was designed to provoke a military conflict that would end with a swift and decisive Austrian victory. The ultimatum was harsh and provocative, and while Serbia accepted almost all of the terms, Austria-Hungary was not satisfied and broke off diplomatic relations on July 25, ultimately declaring war on July 28. This act brought Europe to the brink of a general war, as Russia, France, and Britain became increasingly involved.

Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum

On July 23, 1914, Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum, a harsh set of demands that were designed to be rejected. This ultimatum was delivered by the ambassador of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to Serbia, Baron Giesl von Gieslingen, to the Serbian foreign ministry. The ultimatum was issued with the full support of Austria-Hungary's allies in Berlin, and it was intended to force a military conflict that would end quickly and decisively with a crushing Austrian victory before Serbia's powerful ally, Russia, had time to react.

The ultimatum demanded that the Serbian government accept an Austro-Hungarian inquiry into the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, notwithstanding its claim that it was already conducting its own internal investigation. Serbia was also to suppress all anti-Austrian propaganda and to take steps to root out and eliminate terrorist organizations within its borders. One such organization, the Black Hand, was believed to have aided and abetted the archduke's killer, Gavrilo Princip, and his cohorts, providing weapons and safe passage from Belgrade to Sarajevo. The Dual Monarchy demanded an answer to the note within 48 hours—by that time, however, anticipating Serbian defiance, Gieslingen had already packed his bags and prepared to leave the embassy.

The ultimatum was a deliberate attempt by Austria-Hungary to provoke a military conflict with Serbia. By presenting Serbia with demands that were extremely difficult to meet, Austria-Hungary ensured that any response other than unconditional acceptance would give them an excuse to go to war. This was a high-stakes diplomatic manoeuvre that ultimately contributed to the outbreak of World War I.

The ultimatum was drafted with German support

On July 23, 1914, Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum drafted with German support. This ultimatum was delivered by the ambassador of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to Serbia, Baron Giesl von Gieslingen, to the Serbian foreign ministry. The ultimatum was drafted with the full support of Germany, whose foreign office coordinated with Austria-Hungary to force a military conflict. The ultimatum was designed to provoke Serbia into war, with harsh and provocative demands that no sovereign state could accept. The ultimatum demanded that Serbia suppress all anti-Austrian propaganda and eliminate terrorist organisations within its borders, including the Black Hand, which was believed to have aided the assassins of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. It also demanded that Serbia accept an Austro-Hungarian inquiry into the assassination, despite Serbia already conducting its own internal investigation.

The ultimatum was designed to be rejected, giving Austria-Hungary an excuse for war. Germany was aware of the contents of the ultimatum and supported Austria-Hungary's aggressive stance, hoping to quickly crush Serbia before other European powers could react. Germany was also concerned with preserving the prestige of Austria-Hungary, its only reliable ally, and preventing it from appearing weak in the eyes of other European powers.

The ultimatum was presented to Serbia on the evening of July 23, with a response demanded within 48 hours. Anticipating defiance, Gieslingen had already packed his bags and prepared to leave the embassy. While Germany worked diplomatically to contain the effects of the ultimatum, other European powers were not inclined to see Austria-Hungary as acting alone, knowing that Germany stood behind them. The ultimatum ultimately led to the outbreak of World War I, as Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914.

The ultimatum was designed to be rejected

On July 23, 1914, Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum, a list of demands to be met within 48 hours. The ultimatum was designed to be rejected, and Serbia's refusal to accept all the terms gave Austria-Hungary the excuse it needed to declare war.

Austria-Hungary's ultimatum to Serbia was formulated to be harsh, peremptory, and provocative. It was intended to make Serbia a vassal state of Austria-Hungary. The terms of the ultimatum included demands that Serbia:

• Condemn the "dangerous propaganda" against Austria-Hungary, which it claimed was ultimately aimed at detaching territories from the Monarchy.
• Suppress all publications inciting hatred and contempt of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and those directed against its territorial integrity.
• Dissolve the Serbian nationalist organisation Narodna Odbrana ("The People's Defence") and all other such societies in Serbia.
• Eliminate anti-Austrian propaganda from schoolbooks and public documents.
• Remove Serbian officers and functionaries deemed to be acting against Austria-Hungary.
• Accept "representatives of the Austro-Hungarian Government" in Serbia to suppress subversive movements.
• Bring to trial all accessories to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and allow Austro-Hungarian delegates to take part in the investigations.
• Arrest individuals named as participants in the assassination plot.
• Cease the cooperation of Serbian authorities in the "traffic in arms and explosives across the frontier".
• Provide explanations regarding Serbian officials who had expressed themselves in interviews in a manner hostile to the Austro-Hungarian Government.
• Notify the Austro-Hungarian Government without delay of the execution of the measures comprised in the ultimatum.

Austria-Hungary's plan, developed in coordination with the German foreign office, was to force a military conflict that would end quickly and decisively with a crushing Austrian victory before the rest of Europe—namely, Serbia’s powerful ally, Russia—had time to react.

The ultimatum was presented to the Serbian government by the Austro-Hungarian ambassador, Baron Giesl von Gieslingen, at 6 pm on July 23, 1914. Gieslingen had already packed his bags, anticipating Serbian defiance. While the world waited for Serbia’s response, Germany worked diplomatically to contain the effects of the ultimatum. However, none of the other great powers were inclined to see Austria-Hungary, with its relatively weak military, as acting alone. By 1914, the battle lines had been drawn in Europe: if Germany stood with Austria-Hungary against Serbia (and by extension, Russia) then Russia’s allies, France and Britain, would be likely to step into the fray as well.

On July 25, Serbia's answer to the ultimatum was sent. It conceded to all the demands except two, which infringed upon its rights as a sovereign state, and these two it offered to submit to arbitration. However, this response made little difference to Austria-Hungary, and diplomatic relations were broken off. On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, beginning the First World War.

The ultimatum demanded Serbia suppress anti-Austrian propaganda

On July 23, 1914, the Austro-Hungarian government issued an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding that it suppress anti-Austrian propaganda and accept other conditions. The ultimatum was formulated in six points, including:

• 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 and legal proceedings against extremist secret organisations operating against Austria.
• The participation of Austrian officials in the investigation and prosecution of the ringleaders on Serbian territory, which would infringe on Serbia's state sovereignty.
• The cessation of cooperation between Serbian authorities and anti-Austrian groups.

The ultimatum was deliberately designed to be unacceptable to Serbia, with the sixth point being particularly contentious. The Serbian government was given 48 hours to respond, and the initial consequence of non-compliance was the breaking off of diplomatic relations, followed by the declaration of war.

The ultimatum was drafted by Baron Musulin von Gomirje, a Viennese diplomat, and delivered by the Austro-Hungarian ambassador in Belgrade to the Serbian Minister of Finance. It was a delayed response to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the thrones of Austria and Hungary, on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo. The timing of the ultimatum was carefully chosen—it was delivered when key French officials were expected to be at sea, returning from a visit to Russia, immobilising two members of the Entente.

The Serbian government responded within the 48-hour deadline, accepting most demands but rejecting the infringement on its sovereignty. This response was anticipated by the Austro-Hungarian government, and diplomatic relations were severed. On July 28, Emperor Franz Joseph formally declared war on Serbia on behalf of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The ultimatum demanded an Austro-Hungarian inquiry into the assassination

On July 23, 1914, Austria-Hungary delivered an ultimatum to the Kingdom of Serbia, an action that would be a pivotal moment in the lead-up to World War I. The ultimatum was a response to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife, Sophie, in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb nationalist.

"The Royal Serbian Government condemns the propaganda directed against Austria-Hungary, i.e. the entire body of writings that appear in the Serbian press, and in publications of all kinds, the object of which is to foment hatred and contempt of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, and the animosity of the Serbian people against the Austro-Hungarian people, and which has found its expression in the terrible crime of the 28th of June.

The Royal Serbian Government regrets that Serbian officers and functionaries should have taken part in the propaganda cited above, and that they, together with other persons, citizens of the Kingdom, should have been implicated in the plot which culminated in the assassination of the Archduke Heir Apparent; the Royal Serbian Government disapproves and repels this criminal procedure.

The Royal Serbian Government undertakes to suppress any publication inciting to hatred or contempt of Austria-Hungary, and the Royal Serbian Government will proceed at once against any members of the body teaching or of the clergy, or of any other body or society, who shall be guilty of propaganda against Austria-Hungary.

The Royal Serbian Government undertakes to dissolve the society styled 'Narodna Odbrana,' to confiscate all the means of propaganda in her possession, and to proceed in the same manner against other societies and associations in the Kingdom of Serbia which occupy themselves with the propaganda against Austria-Hungary.

The Royal Serbian Government undertakes to eliminate without delay from their teaching and educational establishments, especially from the history teaching, everything that serves or could serve to foment propaganda against Austria-Hungary, and to dismiss teachers who are guilty of such propaganda."

The ultimatum demanded an immediate response from the Serbian government, who were given just 48 hours to comply with the extensive list of demands. The inquiry was to be a key part of the process, with Austria-Hungary insisting on its right to be involved in the investigation and prosecution of those involved in the assassination. This was a significant infringement on Serbian sovereignty and a deliberate provocation. The inquiry was also to extend to Serbian officials and military personnel, whom Austria believed had been complicit in the assassination plot. The demands were intentionally humiliating and designed to weaken Serbian independence, giving Austria-Hungary significant control over Serbian internal affairs.

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