Immediate Cause - July Crisis
By: Maxime Kpangbai
Overview:
The assassination of the Austro-Hungarian throne and his wife in the capital of Bosnia, Sarajevo, marked the start of the July Crisis in the summer of 1914. Sarajevo was a base of Serb and Bosnian nationalists group, making it a very dangerous place for the Habsburg royals to visit. This is due to the fact that the Serb and Bosnia nationalists are seeking for an independent country while Austria-Hungary chose to annex Bosnia- Herzegovina during the 1908 Bosnian Crisis. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the nephew of Franz Josef I, the Austrian emperor and heir to the Habsburg throne. The visit of Ferdinand was during a very sensitive time period since it marked the anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo in the 14th Century, which was when the Turks defeated the Serbs. Ferdinand ignored the warnings from the Austrian diplomats and held strong opponent feelings against the Slav nationalism (McDonough 15).
On 28 June 1914, Ferdinand arrived at the Capital of Bosnia. The assassin who was a young man called Gavrilo Princip was part of a nationalist group known as ‘Young Bosnia’. He did the dirty job by killing Ferdinand and his wife for both the ‘Young Bosnia’ nationalist group and “a pro-Serb group known as the ‘Black Hand’”. This young man “set off a chain of events which ultimately led to the outbreak of the First World War” (McDonough 16).
Reactions:
Austria-Hungary chose to blame the death of Ferdinand on the Serbian government instead of the nationalists groups despite the fact that there were no direct evidence that proved this. On 4 July 1914, the emperor of Austria- Hungary asked for the support from their ally Germany. The next day, Bethmann Hollweg, the chancellor of Germany handed Austria a ‘blank cheque’, providing unconditional support to Austria-Hungary. Germany and Austria-Hungary hoped for a small-scale war between Austria- Hungary and Serbia, but knew that “the crisis might bring Russian intervention, and a European war” and were willing to take the risks (McDonough 16). The Austria- Hungarian government issued an ultimatum with severe demands making it impossible for the Serbian government to agree to them. France gave Russia a section ‘blank cheque’ as a response to the possible war with Germany and Austria- Hungary. On 23 July 1914, the ultimatum arrived at Serbia claiming, “Serbia was involve with the assassination of Archduke, and made ten demands designed to put down terrorist activities” (McDonough 16). Serbia was expected to reject the ultimatum by Russian and France or respond within 48 hours by Austria-Hungary. However, Serbia agreed to most of the demands but did not give its response immediately. Therefore, Austria-Hungary made the first declaration war on Serbia on 28 July 1914.
Significance:
* Strengthened the Alliances between nations
- Austria-Hungary and Germany
- Russia, France and Great Britain
The assassination of the Austro-Hungarian throne and his wife in the capital of Bosnia, Sarajevo, marked the start of the July Crisis in the summer of 1914. Sarajevo was a base of Serb and Bosnian nationalists group, making it a very dangerous place for the Habsburg royals to visit. This is due to the fact that the Serb and Bosnia nationalists are seeking for an independent country while Austria-Hungary chose to annex Bosnia- Herzegovina during the 1908 Bosnian Crisis. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the nephew of Franz Josef I, the Austrian emperor and heir to the Habsburg throne. The visit of Ferdinand was during a very sensitive time period since it marked the anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo in the 14th Century, which was when the Turks defeated the Serbs. Ferdinand ignored the warnings from the Austrian diplomats and held strong opponent feelings against the Slav nationalism (McDonough 15).
On 28 June 1914, Ferdinand arrived at the Capital of Bosnia. The assassin who was a young man called Gavrilo Princip was part of a nationalist group known as ‘Young Bosnia’. He did the dirty job by killing Ferdinand and his wife for both the ‘Young Bosnia’ nationalist group and “a pro-Serb group known as the ‘Black Hand’”. This young man “set off a chain of events which ultimately led to the outbreak of the First World War” (McDonough 16).
Reactions:
Austria-Hungary chose to blame the death of Ferdinand on the Serbian government instead of the nationalists groups despite the fact that there were no direct evidence that proved this. On 4 July 1914, the emperor of Austria- Hungary asked for the support from their ally Germany. The next day, Bethmann Hollweg, the chancellor of Germany handed Austria a ‘blank cheque’, providing unconditional support to Austria-Hungary. Germany and Austria-Hungary hoped for a small-scale war between Austria- Hungary and Serbia, but knew that “the crisis might bring Russian intervention, and a European war” and were willing to take the risks (McDonough 16). The Austria- Hungarian government issued an ultimatum with severe demands making it impossible for the Serbian government to agree to them. France gave Russia a section ‘blank cheque’ as a response to the possible war with Germany and Austria- Hungary. On 23 July 1914, the ultimatum arrived at Serbia claiming, “Serbia was involve with the assassination of Archduke, and made ten demands designed to put down terrorist activities” (McDonough 16). Serbia was expected to reject the ultimatum by Russian and France or respond within 48 hours by Austria-Hungary. However, Serbia agreed to most of the demands but did not give its response immediately. Therefore, Austria-Hungary made the first declaration war on Serbia on 28 July 1914.
Significance:
* Strengthened the Alliances between nations
- Austria-Hungary and Germany
- Russia, France and Great Britain