Austria-Hungary's Ultimatum: Serbia's Fate In Ten Days

The July Ultimatum was a demand issued by Austria-Hungary to the Royal Serbian Government at 6 pm on 23 July 1914, nearly a month after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife by a young Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Bosnia. The ultimatum was delivered by the ambassador of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to Serbia, Baron Giesl von Gieslingen, to the Serbian foreign ministry.

Austria-Hungary's response, following a Ministerial Council Meeting on 7 July, was formulated in six points:

1. The Serbian government was required to officially distance itself from the political campaign to unite the southern Slav peoples under Serbian leadership, which was a challenge to the territorial integrity of Austria-Hungary.

2. The purging of the Serbian army and civil service of anti-Austrian agitators and the suppression of anti-Austrian propaganda in the Serbian press.

3. The Serbian government was called upon to track down and take legal proceedings against extremist secret organisations operating against Austria.

4. The suppression of any publication that incites to hatred and contempt of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and is directed against its territorial integrity.

5. The dissolution of the Serbian nationalist organisation Narodna Odbrana and all other such societies in Serbia.

6. The elimination of Austrian officials from taking part in the investigation into the assassination and in the hunting down and prosecution of the ringleaders on Serbian territory, which would infringe on Serbia's state sovereignty.

The ultimatum demanded an answer within 48 hours. However, anticipating Serbian defiance, Gieslingen had already packed his bags and prepared to leave the embassy.

The ultimatum was delivered on 23 July 1914

On 23 July 1914, the Austro-Hungarian government issued an ultimatum to Serbia, nearly a month after the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife by a young Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Bosnia. The 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. The plan, developed in coordination with the German foreign office, was to force a military conflict that would end quickly and decisively with an Austrian victory before Serbia's powerful ally, Russia, had time to react.

The ultimatum demanded that the Serbian government:

• Formally distance itself from the political campaign to unite the southern Slav peoples under Serbian leadership, which challenged the territorial integrity of Austria-Hungary.
• Purge the Serbian army and civil service of anti-Austrian agitators.
• Suppress anti-Austrian propaganda in the Serbian press.
• Take legal proceedings against extremist secret organisations operating against Austria.
• Allow Austrian officials to participate in the investigation and prosecution of the ringleaders on Serbian territory.

The ultimatum gave Serbia 48 hours to respond. Gieslingen, anticipating Serbian defiance, had already packed his bags and prepared to leave the embassy.

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.

Austria-Hungary demanded Serbia condemn anti-Austrian propaganda

On the 23rd of July 1914, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding that the Serbian government condemn anti-Austrian propaganda and take steps to eliminate terrorist organisations within its borders. This ultimatum came almost a month after the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife by a young Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Bosnia.

The ultimatum was delivered by Baron Giesl von Gieslingen, ambassador of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to Serbia, to the Serbian foreign ministry. It included a list of demands, which were formulated as follows:

• The Serbian government was required to officially distance itself from the political campaign to unite the southern Slav peoples under Serbian leadership, which challenged 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.
• A demand to track down and take legal proceedings against extremist secret organisations operating against Austria, including the Black Hand, which was believed to have aided the assassins by providing weapons and safe passage.
• The participation of Austrian officials in the investigation and prosecution of the ringleaders on Serbian territory, which would infringe upon Serbia's state sovereignty.

Serbia was given 48 hours to respond to the ultimatum, and any failure to accept the demands would initially result in the breaking off of diplomatic relations. However, it was clear that war would likely be the next step.

The ultimatum was designed to be as unacceptable as possible to Serbia, and it effectively demanded that Serbia condemn any pro-Serbian nationalist sentiment and allow Austria to infringe upon its sovereignty. This was a deliberate strategy by Austria-Hungary, which sought a military conflict and wanted to ensure that Serbia would refuse the ultimatum.

Austria-Hungary wanted to participate in the investigation into Franz Ferdinand's assassination

On 23 July 1914, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding that the Serbian government:

• Condemn the "dangerous propaganda" against Austria-Hungary, which aimed to detach territories belonging to the Monarchy.
• Suppress all publications that "incite hatred and contempt" towards Austria-Hungary and threaten its territorial integrity.
• Dissolve Serbian nationalist organisations, such as Narodna Odbrana, and other societies engaging in anti-Austrian propaganda.
• Remove from the Serbian military and civil administration, officers and functionaries deemed to be anti-Austrian agitators.
• Accept Austrian delegates to participate in the investigation of the assassination and the prosecution of the ringleaders in Serbia.
• Arrest individuals implicated in the assassination, including Major Vojislav Tankosić and Milan Ciganović.
• Cease the cooperation of Serbian authorities in the illicit trafficking of arms and explosives across the border.
• Dismiss and punish members of the frontier service who assisted the assassins in crossing the border.
• Provide explanations for the hostile statements made by Serbian officials towards Austria-Hungary following the assassination.

Austria-Hungary's ultimatum was formulated to be deliberately unacceptable to Serbia, with the sixth point regarding the participation of Austrian officials in the investigation and prosecution particularly infringing upon Serbian state sovereignty. The ultimatum was issued nearly a month after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, with Austria-Hungary acting with the full support of its ally, Germany, to force a military conflict with Serbia.

Serbia was given 48 hours to respond

On 23 July 1914, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, giving them 48 hours to respond. This ultimatum came nearly a month after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife by a young Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Bosnia. The 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. It was designed to force a military conflict that would end quickly and decisively with an Austrian victory before Serbia's powerful ally, Russia, had time to react. The ultimatum demanded that Serbia:

• Condemn a dangerous propaganda campaign against Austria-Hungary, which aimed to detach territories belonging to the Monarchy.
• Suppress all anti-Austrian propaganda and eliminate terrorist organisations within its borders.
• Allow Austro-Hungarian officials to participate in the investigation of the assassination, which would infringe upon Serbia's state sovereignty.
• Take legal proceedings against extremist secret organisations operating against Austria.
• Suppress publications that incite hatred and contempt of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.
• Dissolve the Serbian nationalist organisation, Narodna Odbrana, and all other such societies in Serbia.
• Eliminate propaganda from schoolbooks and public documents.
• Remove from the Serbian military and civil administration, officers and functionaries deemed to be anti-Austrian.
• Accept Austro-Hungarian delegates to help suppress subversive movements in Serbia.
• Bring to trial all accessories to the Archduke's assassination and allow Austro-Hungarian delegates to participate in the investigations.
• Arrest Major Vojislav Tankosic and civil servant Milan Ciganovic, who were named as participants in the assassination plot.
• Cease the cooperation of Serbian authorities in the trafficking of arms and explosives across the frontier.
• Dismiss and punish the officials of the frontier service, who were guilty of assisting the perpetrators of the Sarajevo crime.
• Provide explanations to Austria-Hungary regarding Serbian officials' expressions of hostility towards the Austro-Hungarian government.
• Notify Austria-Hungary of the execution of the above measures without delay.

Serbia was required to respond to the ultimatum within 48 hours, by 6 pm on Saturday, 25 July 1914. However, anticipating Serbian defiance, Gieslingen had already packed his bags and prepared to leave the embassy.

Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on 28 July 1914

On 28 July 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, marking the beginning of the First World War. This declaration came just three days after Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia on 23 July 1914, nearly a month after the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife by a young Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Bosnia. The ultimatum, delivered by Baron Giesl von Gieslingen, ambassador of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to Serbia, included a list of demands that were formulated as follows:

• The Serbian government was required to officially distance itself from the political campaign to unite the southern Slav peoples under Serbian leadership, challenging the territorial integrity of Austria-Hungary.
• The purging of the Serbian army and civil service of anti-Austrian agitators and the suppression of anti-Austrian propaganda in the Serbian press.
• A demand directly related to the assassination, calling for the tracking and legal proceedings against extremist secret organisations operating against Austria, including the Black Hand, believed to have aided the archduke's killer, Gavrilo Princip.
• The participation of Austrian officials in the investigation and prosecution of the ringleaders on Serbian territory, infringing on Serbia's state sovereignty.
• Suppression of publications that incite hatred and contempt of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and its territorial integrity.
• Dissolution of the 'Narodna Odbrana' and other societies engaging in propaganda against Austria-Hungary.
• Elimination of teachings in Serbian public instruction that serve to incite propaganda against Austria-Hungary.
• Removal of officers and functionaries in the Serbian military and civil administration who are guilty of propaganda against the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.
• Acceptance of collaboration with representatives of the Austro-Hungarian government to suppress the subversive movement against the Monarchy's territorial integrity.
• Judicial proceedings against accessories to the plot of the assassination, with the participation of Austro-Hungarian delegates in the investigation.
• Arrest of Major Vojislav Tankosic and Milan Ciganovic, a Serbian state employee, who were implicated in the assassination.
• Prevention of the cooperation of Serbian authorities in the illicit trafficking of arms and explosives across the frontier, and punishment of the officials who assisted the perpetrators of the Sarajevo crime.
• Explanations for the utterances of high-ranking Serbian officials expressing hostility towards the Austro-Hungarian government.

The ultimatum demanded a response from Serbia within 48 hours, by 6 pm on Saturday, 25 July 1914. While Serbia's response effectively accepted most of the terms, it refused to allow Austrian officials to participate in investigations on Serbian territory, citing it as a violation of its constitution and criminal procedure law. This defiance, along with a chain of alliances in Europe, ultimately led to the outbreak of World War I.

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