Lexi Webster
The topic of Germany's support for Austria-Hungary is intricately linked to the complex web of alliances and rivalries that characterised pre-World War I Europe. While Germany and Austria-Hungary shared cultural similarities, their relationship was often strained. However, their mutual distrust of Russia, and later, their common rivalry with Serbia, became pivotal factors in uniting them against perceived threats. Germany's backing of Austria-Hungary during the July Crisis of 1914, following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was a decisive moment that escalated tensions into a global conflict.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common language | German |
| Similar culture | Yes |
| Distrust of Russia | Yes |
| Alliance against Russia | Yes |
| Support for Austria-Hungary's conflict with Serbia | Yes |
| Support during the July Crisis | Yes |
| Support during the Balkan Wars | Yes |
| Alliance during World War I | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
- Germany and Austria-Hungary were free to ally against Russia
- Germany wanted to portray itself as a peacemaker
- Austria-Hungary wanted to punish Serbia for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
- Germany wanted to support Austria-Hungary's strategic goals in the Balkans
- Germany wanted to prevent a French takeover of Morocco
Germany and Austria-Hungary were free to ally against Russia
Germany and Austria-Hungary's alliance against Russia was a significant factor in the outbreak of World War I. The two countries had signed a secret alliance treaty in October 1879, renewable every five years. This treaty obligated them to come to each other's aid if attacked by Russia or a power supported by Russia.
In the early 20th century, tensions in Europe were high, and several international crises had already erupted. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, by a Serbian-backed terrorist in June 1914, further escalated these tensions. Austria-Hungary, with German encouragement, sought to inflict a military blow on Serbia to demonstrate its strength and suppress Serbian support for Yugoslav nationalism, which threatened the unity of its multinational empire.
Aware of Russia's support for Serbia, Austria-Hungary sought assurance from Germany, its ally. Germany provided a "blank cheque" of support, urging Austria-Hungary to act quickly to localize the war and avoid drawing in Russia. On July 5, Germany promised its full support for a severe response against Serbia, even if it led to "grave European complications."
The decision to go to war was not without hesitation. Some Austrian and German leaders recognized the potential for a wider European war if Russia became involved. However, German leaders believed that Russia was not ready for war and that France, Russia's ally, could be quickly defeated. They also assumed that Britain would remain neutral. Thus, Germany and Austria-Hungary felt they could manage the conflict and were free to ally against Russia without fearing a broader war.
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Germany wanted to portray itself as a peacemaker
After the formation of the German Empire in 1871, German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck wanted to portray his nation as a peacemaker and preserver of the European status quo. This was to gain more power for the German Empire and to unify Germany. In 1878, the Russian Empire defeated the Ottoman Empire in the Russo-Turkish War. The resulting Treaty of San Stefano gave Russia considerable influence in the Balkans, a development that outraged Austria-Hungary, Russia's chief rival in the Balkan region. Bismarck then called an international conference (the Congress of Berlin) to resolve the problem. The Treaty of Berlin that resulted from the conference reversed Russia's gains from the Treaty of San Stefano and provided the Austrians with compensation in the form of Bosnia. Despite Bismarck's attempts to play the role of an "honest broker" at the Congress of Berlin, Russo-German relations deteriorated following the conference. The Three Emperors' League was discontinued, and Germany and Austria-Hungary were free to ally against Russia.
In 1914, Germany supported Austria-Hungary in its dispute with Serbia. This dispute arose after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife in Sarajevo by a Serbian nationalist. Austria-Hungary wanted to teach Serbia a lesson and further its strategic goals in the Balkans. The Austrians had been consulting with the Germans for the need to take decisive action in the Balkans. Vienna would use the assassination to try and secure more territory in the Balkans. The Germans and the Austrians worked closely in the days after the assassination of the Archduke. This had not always been the case, as in the 1860s, they had fought a war against each other. By 1914 they had become close allies and the two main partners in what would become the Central Powers.
On July 5, 1914, in Berlin, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany pledged his country's unconditional support for whatever action Austria-Hungary chose to take in its conflict with Serbia. This pledge, which historians have referred to as the "blank cheque" assurance, was a decisive moment in the July Crisis. The assurance by the Germans emboldened the Austrians and made them more determined to punish the Serbs and to take advantage of the crisis to claim more territory in the Balkans. Without Germany's backing, the Austrians would not have been as aggressive as they were with Serbia, as their empire was fundamentally weak and had a poor army. The conflict in the Balkans might have remained localized. If the Germans had not given their support to Vienna and promised to help them in every way, the other international powers would not have become involved. With Germany promising to support Austria-Hungary's punishment of Serbia, even if it meant war with Russia, the conflict was threatening to become a Europe-wide conflict that would draw in the other powers, especially France and Britain.
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Austria-Hungary wanted to punish Serbia for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife, the Duchess of Hohenberg, were assassinated by a Serbian-backed terrorist. The assassin, 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip, was one of several would-be assassins intent on using violence to destroy Austria-Hungarian rule. Princip later stated to the court that preventing Franz Ferdinand's planned reforms was one of his motivations. The day of the assassination, 28 June, is the feast of St. Vitus, or Vidovdan in Serbia, which commemorates the 1389 Battle of Kosovo against the Ottomans, during which Sultan Murad I was assassinated in his tent by a Serb.
Austria-Hungary had long seen Serbia as a threat to the stability of its multi-ethnic empire. Serbian ambitions to unify southeast Europe's Slavic people further strained relations. Following the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913, Serbia emerged as a larger and more assertive presence in southeast Europe. Austria-Hungary sought to inflict a military blow on Serbia to demonstrate its strength and to dampen Serbian support for Yugoslav nationalism, viewing it as a threat to the unity of its multinational empire.
Austria-Hungary's aggression towards Serbia stemmed from fears that if it backed down, it would lose credibility and prestige as a great power. The crisis that developed in the summer of 1914 was one of several that had erupted in Europe in the early 20th century. International tensions had been mounting, but in every previous crisis, a continental war had been avoided. The assassination of Franz Ferdinand stoked old tensions beyond the Balkans. The crisis spread as other powers pledged support for either Austria or Serbia.
On 5 July 1914, Germany promised Austria-Hungary full support for a severe response against Serbia. With the guarantee of German backing, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum on 23 July, intending to start a war with Serbia. Serbia's sovereignty would be destroyed if it accepted the terms in full, but any reply other than unconditional acceptance would give Austria-Hungary its excuse for war. On 28 July, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, despite knowing that this risked war with Russia, Serbia's supporter. Austria-Hungary was prepared to risk war because it had the backing of Germany, which urged it to attack quickly to localize the war and avoid drawing in Russia.
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Germany wanted to support Austria-Hungary's strategic goals in the Balkans
Germany supported Austria-Hungary's strategic goals in the Balkans for several reasons, including shared culture and interests, a common distrust of Russia, and the desire to maintain a balance of power in the region.
Firstly, Germany and Austria-Hungary shared cultural ties and a similar language. While they had previously been driven apart, particularly during the Austro-Prussian War, they found common ground in their distrust of Russia. After the Russian Empire defeated the Ottoman Empire in the Russo-Turkish War in 1878, Russia gained significant influence in the Balkans, which outraged Austria-Hungary as its chief rival in the region. This led Germany and Austria-Hungary to form an alliance against Russia.
Secondly, Germany wanted to maintain its power and influence in Europe. In the early 20th century, international tensions were high, and Germany felt isolated and encircled by other powers. By supporting Austria-Hungary's aggressive stance towards Serbia, Germany aimed to counter the growing influence of Russia, which considered Serbia its protectorate. Germany believed that a war with Serbia would be an opportunity for "political rehabilitation" and wanted to exploit Russia's perceived weakness before it became too powerful.
Additionally, Germany encouraged Austria-Hungary to take decisive action against Serbia to demonstrate its strength and dampen Serbian support for Yugoslav nationalism, which threatened the unity of Austria-Hungary's multi-ethnic empire. Germany's backing of Austria-Hungary during the July Crisis in 1914 was a significant factor in the escalation of World War I. Germany urged Austria-Hungary to act quickly and provided a blank cheque of support, leading to Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia on July 28, 1914.
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Germany wanted to prevent a French takeover of Morocco
Germany's support for Austria-Hungary in the July Crisis of 1914 was driven by various factors, including a shared desire to prevent a French takeover of Morocco. This episode was known as the Second Moroccan Crisis or the Agadir Crisis.
In the early 20th century, both France and Germany had imperial ambitions in Morocco, which was then under the rule of Sultan Abd al-Hafid. In 1906, the Algeciras Conference affirmed France's pre-eminence in Morocco, allowing both nations to uphold each other's economic interests in the region. However, tensions escalated in 1911 when France deployed troops to Morocco to suppress a rebellion against the Sultan. In response, Germany sent the gunboat SMS Panther to the Moroccan port of Agadir, demanding "territorial compensation" for itself. This provocation was aimed at challenging Britain and France and potentially forcing the former into an alliance with Germany.
The Agadir Crisis threatened warfare between France and Germany, with the latter facing financial turmoil and public unrest. Ultimately, Germany backed down, and secret negotiations between the two countries resulted in the Franco-German Accord. Under this agreement, Germany recognised France's position in Morocco in exchange for territory in the French Equatorial African colony of Middle Congo. This territory, known as Neukamerun, provided Germany with an outlet on the Congo River.
The First Moroccan Crisis and the Second Moroccan Crisis highlighted the strength of the Entente Cordiale between Britain and France, as Britain supported France during both incidents. These crises also contributed to the worsening of tensions between the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) and the Triple Entente (France, Russia, and Britain), ultimately leading to the outbreak of World War I.
In the context of the July Crisis, Germany's desire to prevent a French takeover of Morocco was a significant factor in its support for Austria-Hungary. Germany encouraged and guaranteed backing for Austria-Hungary's aggressive actions towards Serbia, including the issuance of an ultimatum and a declaration of war. Germany's own ambitions, perception of isolation, and fear of 'encirclement' by the Triple Entente powers influenced its foreign policy decisions during this period.
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Frequently asked questions
Germany supported Austria-Hungary because they shared a common goal of suppressing Serbian nationalism, which threatened the unity of their multi-ethnic empires.
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife on June 28, 1914, by a Serbian nationalist.
The "blank cheque" assurance.
Germany's support emboldened Austria-Hungary to take aggressive action against Serbia, leading to a localised conflict in southeast Europe escalating into World War I.
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