Why We Are At War Part 4

July 28. Tuesday. Austria-Hungary declares war on Servia.

Russia says the key of the situation is to be found at Berlin.

Austria declines any suggestion of negotiations on basis of the Servian reply.

The Kaiser telegraphs to the Tsar.

July 29. Wednesday. Russian mobilization in the four military districts of Odessa, Kiev, Moscow, and Kazan.

Germany offers, in return for British neutrality, to promise territorial integrity of France, but will not extend the same a.s.surance for French colonies.

Sir E. Grey warns the German Amba.s.sador that we should not necessarily stand aside, if all the efforts to maintain the peace failed.

Austria at last realizes that Russia will not remain indifferent.

The Tsar telegraphs to the Kaiser; the latter replies.

July 30. Thursday. Bombardment of Belgrade by Austro-Hungarian forces.

The Prime Minister speaks in the House of Commons on the gravity of the situation, and postpones discussion of the Home Rule Amending Bill.

The Tsar telegraphs to the Kaiser.

July 31. Friday. General Russian mobilization ordered.

Sir E. Grey asks France and Germany whether they will respect neutrality of Belgium.

France promises to respect Belgian neutrality; Germany is doubtful whether any answer will be returned to this request.

Austria declares its readiness to discuss the substance of its ultimatum to Servia.

Fresh telegrams pa.s.s between the Kaiser and the Tsar.

Germany presents ultimatum to Russia demanding that her mobilization should cease within 12 hours.

Germany presents an ultimatum to France asking her to define her att.i.tude in case of a Russo-German war.

English bankers confer with the Government about the financial situation.

Aug. 1. Sat.u.r.day. Sir E. Grey protests against detention of English s.h.i.+ps at Hamburg.

Orders issued for general mobilization of French army.

Orders issued for general mobilization of German army.

Aug. 2. Sunday. Germans invade Luxemburg.

Sir E. Grey gives France an a.s.surance that the English fleet will protect the North Coast of France against the German fleet.

Germans enter French territory near Cirey.

Aug. 3. Monday. Italy declares itself neutral, as the other members of the Triple Alliance are not engaged in a defensive war.

Germany presents an ultimatum to Belgium.

Sir E. Grey makes an important speech in the House of Commons.

Aug. 4. Tuesday. Germans enter Belgian territory.

Britain presents an ultimatum to Germany demanding an answer by midnight.

The Prime Minister makes a speech in the House of Commons, practically announcing war against Germany and explaining the British position.

Aug. 6. Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia.

Aug. 11. The French Amba.s.sador at Vienna demands his pa.s.sport.

Aug. 12. Great Britain declares war on Austria-Hungary.

Notes:

[Footnote 25: Extracts are printed in the German version of the German White Book (pp. 28-31) from an Austrian official publication of July 27.

We print the extracts (the original not being accessible in this country) in Appendix IV.]

[Footnote 26: Full text _infra_ in Appendix I (German White Book, pp.

18-23); more correctly in _Correspondence respecting the European Crisis_, No. 4, Count Berchtold to Count Mensdorff, July 24; but the differences between the two versions are immaterial for our present purpose.]

[Footnote 27: See the communication to England in _Correspondence_, No.

4.]

[Footnote 28: _Correspondence_, No. 9, Note communicated by the German Amba.s.sador, July 24.]

[Footnote 29: _Correspondence_, No. 6, Sir G. Buchanan to Sir E. Grey, July 24.]

[Footnote 30: _Correspondence_, No. 13, Note communicated by Russian Amba.s.sador, July 25.]

[Footnote 31: _Correspondence_, No. 17, Sir G. Buchanan to Sir E. Grey, July 25.]

[Footnote 32: For text of Servian note see _infra_ Appendix I (German White Book, pp. 23-32). The Austrian comments also are given there.]

[Footnote 33: _Correspondence_, No. 42, Sir F. Bertie to Sir E. Grey, July 27; _ibid_. No. 49, Sir E. Grey to Sir R. Rodd, July 27.]

[Footnote 34: _Correspondence_, No. 43. Sir E. Goschen to Sir E. Grey, July 27.]

[Footnote 35: German White Book, p. 46 (_infra_ in Appendix I). The Tsar to His Majesty, July 30.]

[Footnote 36: _Correspondence_, No. 45. Sir G. Buchanan to Sir E. Grey.]