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The year 1914 was marked by a series of events that led to Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia, which ultimately sparked World War I. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife in June 1914 by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo served as a catalyst for escalating tensions between the two nations. Austria-Hungary, with the encouragement and support of Germany, presented Serbia with a rigid ultimatum in July 1914, demanding, among other things, the suppression of anti-Austrian propaganda and the right to conduct an investigation into the archduke's killing. Despite Serbia accepting all demands except for one, Austria-Hungary was not satisfied and broke diplomatic relations, leading to their declaration of war on July 28, 1914. This invasion of Serbia, known as the Serbian campaign, marked the beginning of a broader conflict that engulfed all of Europe and beyond.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of invasion | 1914 |
| Date of declaration of war | 28 July |
| Country that declared war | Austria-Hungary |
| Country war was declared on | Serbia |
| Reason for declaration of war | Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, by a Serbian nationalist |
| Number of invasion attempts | 3 |
| Outcome of invasion attempts | Unsuccessful |
| Number of soldiers amassed by Austria-Hungary on Serbian frontiers | 500,000 |
| Number of operational troops out of 500,000 | 380,000 |
| Number of men in the operational army | 1,420,000 |
| Number of men in support and logistic units | 600,000 |
| Number of reserve troops | 1,350,000 |
| Number of replacement troops sent to the Balkan theatre of war | 160,000 |
| Number of reinforcements sent as part of newly formed units | 82,000 |
| Estimated loss of soldiers for Serbia | 177,000 |
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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, marking the start of World War I. The conflict was sparked by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, and his wife in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914. The assassin, 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip, was a Bosnian-Serb terrorist and member of the Serbian paramilitary group, the Black Hand. This group sought to unite all Balkan Slavs under the Kingdom of Serbia. Austria-Hungary, with the encouragement and support of Germany, used this assassination as a pretext to invade Serbia, which they saw as a threat to the stability of their multi-ethnic empire.
In the lead-up to the war, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia on 23 July 1914, demanding, among other things, the suppression of anti-Austrian propaganda and the participation of Austro-Hungarian officials in the suppression of organisations hostile to Austria-Hungary on Serbian soil. Serbia accepted all but two of the demands, which Austria-Hungary deemed insufficient. On 25 July, Austria-Hungary broke off diplomatic relations with Serbia and began preparing for military action.
The decision to go to war reflected the complex web of alliances, rivalries, and power struggles between European nations at the time. Russia's support of Serbia brought France into the conflict, and Germany's declaration of war on Russia and France further escalated the situation. Britain's entry into the war on 4 August 1914, due to fears of German domination in Europe, expanded the conflict beyond the Balkans, transforming it into a global war.
The Serbian campaign, dubbed a "punitive expedition" by the Austro-Hungarian leadership, was commanded by Austrian General Oskar Potiorek. Despite their vast military power, Austria-Hungary's first invasion attempts 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, while Austria-Hungary's defeat has been described as one of the great upsets of modern military history.
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The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, on June 28, 1914, was one of the key events that led to World War I. The couple was shot at close range while being driven through Sarajevo, the provincial capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which had been formally annexed by Austria-Hungary in 1908.
The assassination was carried out by a group of six Bosnian assassins, including Gavrilo Princip, a 19-year-old Bosnian Serb student. Princip was part of a revolutionary group called Young Bosnia, which sought to free Bosnia and Herzegovina from Austria-Hungarian rule and establish a common South Slav ("Yugoslav") state. The group received support from the Black Hand, a terrorist group with close ties to the Serbian army, which provided them with weapons and explosives.
On the day of the assassination, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were travelling in an open carriage through the streets of Sarajevo. Their motorcade route had been published in advance, making them an easy target for the assassins. Nedeljko Cabrinovic, one of the Young Bosnians, threw a bomb at the car, but it bounced off and exploded under the wrong vehicle, wounding several bystanders but leaving the Archduke and his wife unharmed. Undeterred, the couple continued on to a scheduled reception at the Town Hall.
As their car attempted to reverse back onto the Appel Quay, Princip whipped out his pistol and fired two shots at point-blank range, striking both the Archduke and his wife. Within minutes, both had passed away, leaving their children orphaned. Princip later admitted to killing the Archduke but claimed that he had not intended to kill Sophie. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison but died of tuberculosis in jail in April 1918, at just 23 years old.
The assassination sparked a rapid descent into World War I, as Austria-Hungary used the opportunity to confront the "Serbian danger". With the support of Germany, Austria-Hungary drafted an ultimatum holding the Serbian government responsible for the assassination and making several demands. Serbia agreed to all demands except for two, which entailed constitutional changes in their government. Austria-Hungary broke diplomatic relations with Serbia and declared war on July 28, 1914, marking the beginning of World War I.
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Austria-Hungary's ultimatum to Serbia
On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were assassinated by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo. Austria-Hungary, threatened by Serbian ambition in the Balkans, sought the support of Germany and presented Serbia with an ultimatum on 23 July 1914. This ultimatum included a number of harsh demands, such as the suppression of all anti-Austrian propaganda in Serbia and the dismissal of certain Serbian officials at Austria-Hungary's discretion.
Serbia was given 48 hours to respond to the ultimatum, and its answer arrived within the deadline on 25 July. While Serbia accepted the majority of the demands, it rejected the final point, which concerned the participation of Austrian officials in investigations on Serbian soil, as this would infringe upon its state sovereignty. In response, Austria broke off diplomatic relations with Serbia and began preparing for a possible military invasion.
The ultimatum was designed to be rejected, as Austria-Hungary sought a pretext for war with Serbia, which it viewed as a threat to the unity of its multinational empire. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand provided a convenient opportunity for Austria-Hungary to deal with the "Serbian danger". However, the Austrian foreign minister's refusal to consider further negotiations made it clear that Vienna was not interested in a diplomatic solution.
The conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia had been building up for some time, with Austrian diplomats convinced that war with Serbia was inevitable since the Bosnian Crisis of 1908-09. During the Balkan Wars (1912-13), Austria-Hungary twice threatened Serbia with an ultimatum and contemplated military action. Thus, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand served as a catalyst for Austria-Hungary to pursue its long-standing ambitions in the region.
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Serbian Campaign
On the 28th of July, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, marking the beginning of World War I. This declaration came a month after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were assassinated by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo. Austria-Hungary, threatened by Serbian ambition in the Balkans region, responded to the assassinations by preparing for a possible military invasion of Serbia. With the support of Germany, Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum on July 23, 1914, demanding the suppression of anti-Austrian propaganda and the right to conduct their own investigation into the archduke's killing. Despite Serbia accepting all demands except one, Austria-Hungary broke diplomatic relations and proceeded with military measures.
The Serbian Campaign, led by Austrian General Oskar Potiorek, was a series of military expeditions launched in 1914 and 1915 by the Central Powers against the Kingdom of Serbia during World War I. The Austro-Hungarian Army amassed over 500,000 soldiers, including approximately 380,000 operational troops, on the Serbian frontiers. However, due to various issues, including illiteracy and language barriers, the quality of the Austro-Hungarian soldiers was questionable. The first invasion attempt was met with strong resistance, and the Serbian commander, Radomir Putnik, successfully countered the offensive, forcing the Austrians to retreat.
The Austrians launched a second offensive against the Serbs' western front on the Drina River, but the Serbians and their Montenegrin allies repelled three invasion attempts. The victory of the Royal Serbian Army at the Battle of Cer is considered the first Allied victory in World War I. Despite this setback, the Austro-Hungarians persisted, and by early September, the Serbian forces were forced to evacuate Belgrade. However, the Austrians' third offensive, which included nearly 300,000 active troops, was ultimately successful, and the Serbs were driven out of Belgrade by November 30.
The second campaign of the Serbian Campaign began on October 6, 1915, under German command. Bulgarian, Austro-Hungarian, and German forces, led by Field Marshal August von Mackensen, successfully invaded Serbia from three sides. This invasion prevented an Allied advance from Salonica and resulted in the occupation and division of Serbia between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Bulgaria. The Serbian Campaign had devastating consequences, with Serbia suffering significant territorial losses and a staggering number of casualties.
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The Balkan Wars
The First Balkan War was fought between the four Balkan states of Greece, Serbia, Montenegro, and Bulgaria (collectively known as the Balkan League) and the Ottoman Empire. The Balkan League was formed under Russian auspices in the spring of 1912 with the goal of taking Macedonia away from the Ottoman Empire, which was already engaged in a conflict with Italy. The combined forces of the Balkan League, consisting of around 750,000 men, attacked the Ottoman Empire and emerged victorious, stripping the Ottomans of their European provinces except for Eastern Thrace and the city of Adrianople (Edirne).
The Second Balkan War was fought between Bulgaria on one side and Serbia, Greece, and Romania on the other. Bulgaria was dissatisfied with its loss of Macedonia during the First Balkan War and attacked its former allies in the Balkan League. However, Bulgaria was unable to gain the upper hand as it faced attacks from multiple fronts, with Serbia and Greece invading from the west and south, and Romania joining the conflict from the north.
It is worth noting that the year 1914 saw rising tensions between Austria-Hungary and Serbia, culminating in Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian nationalist. This event further escalated the volatile situation in the Balkans and ultimately contributed to the outbreak of World War I.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia in 1914.
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife in June 1914 by a Serbian nationalist was the catalyst for the invasion. Austria-Hungary, with the support of Germany, used this as an opportunity to invade Serbia, which they saw as a threat to the stability of their empire.
No, they did not. The Serbians, with the help of their Montenegrin allies, repelled three invasion attempts by Austria-Hungary. The victory of the Royal Serbian Army at the Battle of Cer is considered the first Allied victory in World War I.
The conflict between Austria and Serbia escalated into World War I, with Russia's support of Serbia bringing France into the conflict. Germany, an ally of Austria-Hungary, declared war on Russia and France, and subsequently, Britain and its empire joined the war as well.
