Lyla Lindsey
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, on June 28, 1914, set off a chain of events that led to World War I. A month later, on July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, marking the beginning of a catastrophic global conflict that would claim millions of lives and reshape the world. This declaration of war was the culmination of rising tensions between the two nations and was encouraged by Austria-Hungary's ally, Germany.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 28 July 1914 |
| Reason | Austria-Hungary wanted to punish Serbia for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, by a Serbian-backed terrorist |
| Outcome | The First World War |
| First Campaign | Led by Austrian General Oskar Potiorek, the campaign was a failure, with three unsuccessful invasion attempts being repelled by the Serbians and their Montenegrin allies |
| Casualties | Original Serb sources claim over 1,200,000 inhabitants were lost during the war, including military and civilian losses. This represented 29% of its overall population and 60% of its male population |
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What You'll Learn
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on 28 July 1914
On 28 July 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, setting off a chain reaction that, within a month, escalated into World War I. The conflict drew in Russia, Germany, France, and the British Empire, and by 1918, over 21 countries were involved.
The tensions between Austria-Hungary and Serbia had been rising due to Serbian ambitions in the tumultuous Balkans region of Europe. Serbia had become much larger after two wars in the preceding three years, which had made Austria-Hungary uneasy. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife on 28 June 1914 by a Serbian-backed terrorist was the final straw. Austria-Hungary, encouraged by its ally Germany, decided to punish Serbia and quash Serbian nationalism.
Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum on 23 July 1914, demanding that all anti-Austrian propaganda within Serbia be suppressed and that Austria-Hungary be allowed to conduct its own investigation into the archduke's assassination. Serbia accepted all demands except the latter, which would have compromised its sovereignty. On 25 July, Austria-Hungary broke off diplomatic relations with Serbia and began military preparations. On 27 July, Emperor Franz Joseph signed the declaration of war, under the impression that there had been a Serbian act of aggression on the border. When it became known that this was a false alarm, the relevant passage was deleted from the declaration, but the course of action remained the same. On 28 July, Austria-Hungary officially declared war on Serbia, beginning the First World War.
The Serbian campaign, euphemistically called a "punitive expedition" by the Austro-Hungarian leadership, was initially unsuccessful. The Serbians, with the help of their Montenegrin allies, repelled three Austro-Hungarian invasion attempts. However, the second campaign, launched under German command in October 1915, successfully invaded Serbia from three sides. Serbia was then occupied and divided between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Bulgaria. It was not until September 1918 that a Franco-Serbian force advanced and liberated Serbia, Albania, and Montenegro.
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The Serbian campaign, a punitive expedition led by Austria-Hungary
On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife were assassinated by a Serbian-backed terrorist in Sarajevo. This assassination was celebrated within Serbia, and it was believed that the Chief of Serbian Military Intelligence, Dragutin Dimitrijević, was involved. In the aftermath, Serbia denied any involvement and denied having any prior knowledge of the plot. However, Austro-Hungarian and German diplomats pushed for investigations, and Serbia mobilised its armed forces.
Austria-Hungary, encouraged by its ally Germany, decided to take action against Serbia to quash support for Serbian nationalism and to demonstrate its own strength. On 23 July 1914, Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum, demanding that all anti-Austrian propaganda within Serbia be suppressed, and that Austria-Hungary be allowed to conduct its own investigation into the archduke's killing. Serbia accepted all demands except the latter, and so Austria-Hungary broke off diplomatic relations on 25 July.
On 28 July 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, initiating what it dubbed a "punitive expedition" or "Strafexpedition". This was the start of World War I, as the conflict quickly drew in other countries, including Russia, France, and Germany. The Serbian campaign, led by Austrian General Oskar Potiorek, consisted of three unsuccessful invasion attempts that were repelled by the Serbians and their Montenegrin allies. The Royal Serbian Army's victory at the Battle of Cer is considered the first Allied victory of World War I.
During the occupation of Serbia, the Austro-Hungarian Army imposed martial law, practised hostage-taking, burned villages, and responded to uprisings with public hangings and summary executions. Between 150,000 and 200,000 civilians were deported to internment and concentration camps, and thousands were killed. The Serbian campaign resulted in immense loss of life and destruction for Serbia, with recent estimates placing the number of Serbian soldiers who lost their lives at around 177,000, and the civilian death toll in the hundreds of thousands.
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The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The Black Hand, a secret society dedicated to creating a Greater Serbia through "terrorist action", was established by key members of the Narodna Odbrana in 1911. Within Bosnia and Herzegovina, the networks of both the Black Hand and Narodna Odbrana were able to penetrate local revolutionary movements such as Young Bosnia. When it was learned that the heir-apparent to the Austrian throne, Franz Ferdinand, was scheduled to visit Sarajevo in June 1914, the Black Hand decided to assassinate him because of his perceived threat to Serbian independence. Gavrilo Princip, along with Nedjelko Cabrinovic and Trifko Grabez, were recruited, trained, and equipped, and they later added additional conspirators.
On the day of the assassination, the Archduke and his wife were riding in an open carriage through the streets of Sarajevo. Earlier that day, Archduke Franz Ferdinand had shown signs of stress when a bomb was thrown at his car but failed to harm him. At the Town Hall, he interrupted a prepared speech of welcome by Mayor Fehim Čurčić, protesting the greeting he had received. After calming down, the Archduke added a few remarks to his own speech, thanking the people of Sarajevo for their ovations, which he interpreted as a sign of relief at the failure of the assassination attempt earlier that day.
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The Balkan crisis
The Balkan Wars set the stage for the July Crisis of 1914, which was caused by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by a Serbian-backed organization. The crisis escalated and resulted in the First World War. Austria-Hungary was alarmed by the increase in Serbia's territory and its rising status, which threatened Austria-Hungary's power in the region. This concern was shared by Germany, which saw Serbia as a satellite of Russia. These concerns contributed to their willingness to go to war against Serbia.
The Balkan region has long been a buffer state between Europe and Asia Minor, controlling the trade routes and military roads between the two continents. The region has been a site of conflict for centuries, with invaders and empires recruiting their strength in its fair fields. The Balkan Wars and the ensuing crisis were a proxy war between the major powers, who acted out their rivalries through treaties of alliance. The crisis in the Balkans isolated Austria-Hungary in southeastern Europe and turned Serbia into an enemy. It also brought the disputative Balkan states closer together under Russian patronage, forming an alliance for the division of the European part of Turkey.
The assassination of the Austrian heir in 1914 was the spark that ignited the powder keg of the Balkan Crisis. Within a month, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, and within six days, European countries began declaring war on one another, leading to the outbreak of World War I.
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World War I
On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife, Sophie, were assassinated by a Serbian-backed terrorist in Sarajevo. A month later, on 28 July 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, beginning a chain of events that would lead to World War I.
Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia was the culmination of rising tensions between the two nations. Serbia had emerged from two recent Balkan wars significantly more powerful than before, causing anxiety in neighbouring Austria-Hungary. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand provided the latter with a casus belli.
Austria-Hungary, encouraged by its ally Germany, presented Serbia with an ultimatum on 23 July 1914, demanding, among other things, that all anti-Austrian propaganda within Serbia be suppressed and that Austria-Hungary be allowed to conduct its own investigation into the archduke's assassination. Serbia conceded to all demands except the latter, which would have compromised its sovereignty. On 25 July, Austria-Hungary broke off diplomatic relations with Serbia, and on 28 July, it declared war.
The conflict quickly escalated, drawing in Russia, France, and the British Empire, as well as Germany, which supported Austria-Hungary. Within a week of Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia, Russia, which had the largest army in the world at the time, entered the conflict on Serbia's side. Germany declared war on Russia on 1 August, and France and Germany declared war on each other on 3 August. Britain was drawn into the conflict when Germany announced its intention to invade neutral Belgium on 4 August. Within a month of Austria-Hungary's declaration of war, the major powers of the Western world, with the exception of the United States and Italy, had entered what would become World War I.
The war ended in 1918 with the defeat of Austria-Hungary and its allies. The Treaty of Trianon stripped Hungary of much of its land, which was given to Yugoslavia and Romania. Serbia assumed a leading position in the new Kingdom of Yugoslavia, which also included Montenegro. Italy established a quasi-protectorate over Albania, and Greece reoccupied southern Albania.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia in 1914.
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, on 28 June 1914, by a Serbian-backed terrorist.
The Balkans in Southeast Europe had been a hotbed of unrest, with two wars in the preceding three years that had made Austria-Hungary's neighbour, Serbia, much stronger, increasing tensions between the two nations.
Yes, Austria-Hungary was encouraged by its powerful ally, Germany. which provided unconditional support.
The declaration of war triggered World War I, as Russia came to the defence of Serbia, a fellow Slavic nation. Within a week, Austria-Hungary faced a war with Russia, which had the largest army in the world at the time.
