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The Spark to the Flame

Memorial postcard for Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie von Hohenberg, killed in Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina, June 28, 1914.
Text:
Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand von Oesterreich und Herzogin von Hohenberg
Sarajevo, den 28 Juni 1914.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and Duchess of Hohenberg 
Sarajevo, June 28, 1914.

Memorial postcard for Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie von Hohenberg, killed in Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina, June 28, 1914.

Image text

Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand von Oesterreich und Herzogin von Hohenberg

Sarajevo, den 28 Juni 1914.



Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and Duchess of Hohenberg

Sarajevo, June 28, 1914.

Other views: Larger

From Assassination to War

The great powers of Europe had managed through crises without a major war repeatedly in the years before the assassination of the Archduke, and their was a certain amount of formality in responses from European capitals. Because he had married beneath his station and had insisted he be buried with his wife, the murdered couple were treated shabbily by Austro-Hungarian authorities. EXAMPLE.

On July 5, Kaiser Wilhelm and Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg promised German support for Austria-Hungary in its response to Serbia. Wilhelm, bellicose and full of bluster, moderated as days passed. On July ??, French president Poincaré left for a state visit to Russia.

Evidence collected against the conspirators???

On July 23 Austria-Hungary delivered an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding unconditional acceptance within 48 hours. The terms shocked governments in European capitals, and some attempted to intervene. The Tsar wrote to the Kaiser. Britain tried to organize a peace conference.

Two minutes ??? before the deadline, Serbia accepted all but one term - that the Serbian investigation into the assassination involve ???? the Austro-Hungarian government. This one condition was enough. The Austrian ambassador returned to Vienna. On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. The next day its gunboats bombarded Belgrade, Serbia's capital.

Engaging the Machines

Russia could not mobilize against Austria-Hungary only, at least this is what the Tsar is told, so there is general mobilization, that is, along the borders of Germany as well as Austria-Hungary. Germany had no other response to Russian mobilization than war. Putting its plans into execution on August 1, Germany declared war on Russia, and opened its attack on France by invading Luxemburg. France ordered general mobilization effective the next day. On August 3, Germany declared war on France

Across Europe, people and parliaments were generally supportive, with crowds in the streets turning out in support. Some German Social Democrats opposed the war at a party meeting, but supported it in the Reichstag. In Vienna, crowds turned out in support. Most people expected a short war, that would see them occupying the enemy's capital by year end. In Britain, there was significant opposition to going to war.

6,000,000 men went into the first battles. Most generals had not seen war, and would not in this one. The British had in the Boer War, and the Russians in the Russo-Japanese War.

Sources

Events contemporaneous with The Spark to the Flame

Start Date End Date View
1915-03-23 Russian Conquest of Przemyśl
Influenza Pandemic
Shell Shortage
Battles of Artois
1914-06-28 1914-06-28 Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
1914-07-28 1914-07-28 Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
1914-08-01 1914-08-01 Germany declares war on Russia
1914-08-02 1914-11-11 Turkey Enters the War
1914-08-03 1914-08-03 Germany invades Luxemburg
1914-08-03 1914-08-03 Germany declares war on France