Damon Mcknight
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. The assassin, Gavrilo Princip, was a Bosnian-Serb terrorist with Serbian backing, which led Austria-Hungary to suspect Serbian involvement and seek retaliation. After securing Germany's support, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia on July 23, 1914, which Serbia mostly accepted, but Austria-Hungary was unsatisfied and broke diplomatic ties. On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, marking the beginning of World War I.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 28 July 1914 |
| Reason | Austria-Hungary wanted to inflict a military blow on Serbia to demonstrate its own strength and to dampen Serbian support for Yugoslav nationalism, viewing it as a threat to the unity of its multi-national empire |
| Preceding events | On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were assassinated by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo |
| Ultimatums | Austria-Hungary demanded that all anti-Austrian propaganda within Serbia be suppressed and that they be allowed to conduct their own investigation into the archduke's killing |
| Serbian response | Serbia agreed to comply with most of the ultimatum but rejected the demand that would infringe on its sovereignty |
| Outcome | The First World War |
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What You'll Learn
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, 28 July 1914
On 28 July 1914, exactly a month after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, thereby setting off a chain of events that would lead to the First World War.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife were assassinated on 28 June 1914 by a Serbian-backed terrorist, 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip. Princip was one of several would-be assassins who were intent on using violence to destroy Austria-Hungarian rule. The assassination was celebrated within Serbia, and the Austrian government suspected Serbian backing for the attack. The Austro-Hungarian government was already wary of Serbian ambition in the Balkans region of Europe, which it saw as a threat to the stability of its multi-ethnic empire. Serbia's emergence as a larger and more assertive presence in south-east Europe after the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913 further strained relations.
Austria-Hungary, with the encouragement and support of its ally Germany, decided to use the royal murder as a pretext to crush the Serbian threat. On 23 July, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, presenting a list of stringent demands. Serbia's response, which came on 25 July, was conciliatory in some aspects but did not fully comply with all of Austria-Hungary's demands. Austria-Hungary rejected Serbia's response, considering it insufficient, and broke off diplomatic relations. On 28 July, Austria-Hungary formally declared war on Serbia and bombarded Belgrade.
Within six days, several other European countries declared war on one another, and by early August, a larger European war had broken out. The complex web of alliances among the major powers of Europe meant that Russia, France, and Britain were soon drawn into the conflict, along with Germany, who declared war on Russia and France. The First World War, also known as the Great War, would go on to become the most destructive and widespread conflict the world had ever seen at that point, with over twenty-one countries declaring war and becoming involved in the fighting.
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The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The assassination was carried out by Bosnian Serb student Gavrilo Princip, who was part of a group of six Bosnian assassins, including Muhamed Mehmedbašić, Vaso Čubrilović, Nedeljko Čabrinović, Cvjetko Popović, and Trifko Grabež, coordinated by Danilo Ilić. All but one were Bosnian Serbs and members of a student revolutionary group that later became known as Young Bosnia. The political objective of the assassination was to free Bosnia and Herzegovina from Austria-Hungarian rule and establish a common South Slav ("Yugoslav") state.
In the lead-up to the assassination, there were tensions between Austria-Hungary and Serbia due to Austria-Hungary's annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908. A secret society called the Black Hand, dedicated to creating a Greater Serbia through "terrorist action," was established in 1911 and became involved in anti-Austrian propaganda, sabotage, espionage, and political murders abroad. When it was learned that Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who was perceived as a threat to Serbian independence, was scheduled to visit Sarajevo in June 1914, the Black Hand decided to assassinate him.
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, the couple had narrowly escaped an assassination attempt when a bomb was thrown at their car. Despite the danger, they continued with their scheduled reception at the Town Hall. As their car drove through a street corner in the center of the city, Gavrilo Princip fired two shots, mortally wounding the Archduke and his wife.
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Austria-Hungary's ultimatum to Serbia
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist and member of a Serbian-backed paramilitary group. This event followed years of tensions between Austria-Hungary and Serbia, which escalated when Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1908.
In response to the assassination, Austria-Hungary, with the support of Germany, decided to prepare for a possible military invasion of Serbia. On July 23, 1914, Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum, demanding:
- The suppression of all anti-Austrian propaganda within Serbia.
- The dissolution of Serbian organisations occupying themselves with propaganda against Austria-Hungary, such as the Narodna Odbrana.
- The removal of officers and officials from the military and civil services who were considered guilty of actions against the territorial integrity of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy.
- The participation of Austrian officials in the investigation and prosecution of the ringleaders of the assassination on Serbian territory.
- The end of all teaching in Serbian public instruction that served to nourish propaganda against Austria-Hungary.
Serbia was given a 48-hour deadline to respond to the ultimatum. On July 25, Serbia accepted most of the demands but rejected the participation of Austrian officials on Serbian territory, citing this as an infringement of its sovereignty. This rejection, along with Russian support for Serbia, led to Austria-Hungary breaking off diplomatic relations and declaring war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, marking the start of World War I.
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The Serbian campaign of 1914
In the aftermath of the assassination, Austria-Hungary sought to curb Serbian ambition in the Balkans and prepared for a possible military invasion of Serbia. On July 23, 1914, Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum, demanding, among other things, the suppression of anti-Austrian propaganda and the right to conduct an investigation into the archduke's assassination. Serbia accepted most of the demands but rejected those that infringed on its sovereignty. On July 25, Austria-Hungary broke off diplomatic relations with Serbia.
The Serbian campaign officially began on July 28, 1914, when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia and bombarded Belgrade. The Austro-Hungarian forces, known as Balkanstreitkräfte, consisted of the 5th and 6th Armies and attacked Serbia from the west and north. Despite their numerical superiority, the Austro-Hungarian forces were unable to defeat the Serbian army, which was commanded by General Radomir Putnik. Putnik utilised his knowledge of the rugged terrain and the strategic advantage of the rivers to defeat the 5th Army at the Battle of Cer, marking the first Allied victory of World War I.
The first phase of the campaign ended in August 1914, with heavy casualties on both sides. The Serbian army suffered approximately 170,000 casualties, while Austro-Hungarian losses approached 215,000. The Austro-Hungarian General Potiorek was removed from command due to his failure to achieve the invasion's objectives. In September 1914, Austria-Hungary launched a second invasion, but the Serbs pushed back and forced the Balkanstreitkräfte to retreat. A third invasion in October 1914 reached deep into northern Serbia, capturing Belgrade on December 2, 1914. However, a successful Serbian counter-offensive at the Battle of Kolubara expelled the Austro-Hungarian forces from Serbian territory, bringing the 1914 Serbian campaign to a close.
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The outbreak of World War I
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife on 28 June 1914 was the catalyst for a series of events that led to the outbreak of World War I. The assassin, Gavrilo Princip, was a member of a Serbian-backed secret paramilitary organisation. This incident escalated tensions between Austria-Hungary and Serbia, which had already been strained due to Austria's annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1908 and Serbia's ambitions in the Balkans region.
On 23 July 1914, Austria-Hungary, with the support of its ally Germany, presented Serbia with an ultimatum, demanding the suppression of anti-Austrian propaganda and the right to conduct an investigation into the Archduke's assassination. Serbia, backed by Russia, agreed to comply with most demands but rejected the infringement of its sovereignty.
On 28 July 1914, one month after the assassination, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, marking the beginning of World War I. This declaration of war was seen as a step towards acquiring Serbian territory and consolidating Austria-Hungary's power in the face of Serbian nationalism and ambition in the region. The complex web of alliances and miscalculations of political and military leaders led to a rapid outbreak of hostilities among major European states by early August 1914, drawing in Russia, France, and other nations.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on 28 July 1914.
The war was triggered by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife, Sophie, on 28 June 1914. The assassination was carried out by a Serbian-backed terrorist, Gavrilo Princip.
On 23 July 1914, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, presenting a list of stringent demands. While Serbia accepted most of the conditions, it did not comply with all of them. Austria-Hungary then broke diplomatic relations with Serbia on 25 July and declared war on 28 July.
The Serbian campaign of 1914 marked the first major confrontation between the Central Powers, led by Austria-Hungary, and the Allied Powers, led by Serbia. The Austro-Hungarian forces attacked Serbia from the west and north but were defeated by the Serbian army, which used its knowledge of the terrain and the strategic advantage of the rivers. The Serbian army recaptured Belgrade on 15 December, and the first phase of the war ended with enormous casualties on both sides.
