Wikimedia Commons
The First World War was an unprecedented catastrophe that killed millions and set the continent of Europe on the path to further catastrophe two decades later . But it did n’t fare out of nowhere . With the centenary of the irruption of hostilities coming up in August , Erik Sass will be looking back at the lead story - up to the warfare , when seemingly minor moments of clash pile up until the position was quick to blow up . He ’ll be covering those events 100 eld after they hap . This is the 121st installment in the series .
8 April 2025: Franz Ferdinand Wants Peace in the Balkans
Depending who you ask , the coming together on June 12 - 13 , 1914 between Kaiser Wilhelm II and Archduke Franz Ferdinand , heir to the thrones of Austria and Hungary , was either a state of war council — or the exact opposite . Actually it was in all likelihood a little bit of both .
The German emperor was supposedly just paying a well-disposed visit to the Archduke ’s beautiful chateau in Konopischt , Bohemia ( today Konopiště , Czech Republic , above ) , where they could go search and stroll in the estate ’s enormous rose garden . But the real purpose was to get Wilhelm — and thus Germany — on board for Austria - Hungary ’s new strategy in the Balkans .
Like all good strategies , this involved a number of eventuality architectural plan , including the theory of war against Serbia , should the truculent Slavic kingdom turn away to bend to Austria - Hungary ’s will . Thus Franz Ferdinand asked Wilhelm if Germany would sustain Austria - Hungary if she impress against Serbia , and probably received authority that Germany would stand by her ally , in agate line with Wilhelm ’s previousstatements(the record here is unclear ) .
But whatever Wilhelm ’s answer , the June 13 telephone exchange was hardly evidence of a plot to attack Serbia in the near future , as some historian later interpreted it . For his part the Archduke stillopposedwar with Serbia , and only investigate about Germany ’s mental attitude at the request of Emperor Franz Josef , who in turn was credibly prompted by Foreign Minister Berchtold and chief of the general staffConrad . If Franz Ferdinand had anything to say about it , this scenario would persist rigorously suppositious .
In fact the Archduke was large-hearted to Austria - Hungary ’s Slavic multitude , and hoped to reconcile them to Hapsburg rule ( thereby neutralizing the Serbian threat ) by reforming the conglomerate — either by contribute a third monarchy stand for the Slavs , or reinventing it as a federal state with more self-sufficiency at the local level . The obstruction in both cases was sure opposition from the Hungarians , who wielded disproportionate power in the Dual Monarchy and refuse to give their non - Magyar subjects more right wing .
Indeed Franz Ferdinand warned Wilhelm that the Hungarians were n’t just antagonizing the Slavs : the powerful Magyar Premier István Tisza was also create a huge foreign policy vexation with his inhibitory measure against Hungary ’s ethnic Rumanian population , which in turn alienated the neighboring Kingdom of Romania — long associated with the Triple Alliance of Germany , Austria - Hungary , and Italy , but nowdriftingto the Triple Entente of Russia , France , and Britain . In fact the Romanians were about to host Russia ’s Tsar Nicholas II and Foreign Minister Sergei Sazonov in a state sojourn to the Black Sea port wine of Constanța — yet another menacing development .
The primary substance the Archduke communicated to the Kaiser on June 13 relate this complicated billet and what Germany could do to facilitate lick it . Vienna was cultivating an alliance with Bulgaria as a counterbalance to Romania , he confided , but the best affair would be to keep Romania in the Triple Alliance , harmonise her with Bulgaria , and thus form a new balance of power that would restrain Serbia and lock Russia out of the Balkans . To accomplish this , however , the Hungarians had to stop maltreat their own Romanians — and Franz Ferdinand believed the only way Tisza might give way on this take was if Austria - Hungary ’s powerful friend , Germany , post a decipherable message that Hungary needed to mince its domesticated policies so as to keep Romania friendly .
The Kaiser promise he would utter to Tisza when he saw him next , but the blackwash of Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo on June 28 , 1914 changed everything — clearing the way for warfare against Serbia and putting the Romanian question on the back burner , where it remained until it finally boil over in the middle of the Great War .
Meanwhile , Russian intelligence view breaking wind of the meeting and passed on selected detail — specifically , Wilhelm ’s promise to keep going Austria - Hungary if it attacked Serbia — to the honcho of Serbian military intelligence , Dragutin Dimitrijević ( codenameApis ) , who would later attempt to justify the blackwash of Franz Ferdinand on the ground that he was a warmonger prepare a surprise attack on Serbia . Of naturally this was the exact opposite of the truth , and anyway theplothad been put in movement long before the meeting at Konopischt ; in short Dimitrijević was belike just looking for excuses after the fact .
New French Government Upholds Three-Year Service Law
In the first hebdomad of June 1914 Poincaré tried again and again to determine someone in the raw left - dominated Chamber of lieutenant who could form a novel government that would continue the jurisprudence — but give out repeatedly . On June 12 his most recent nominee for Premier , the moderate Alexandre Ribot , was hoot down in the Chamber amid birdcall for the end of the Three - Year Service Law . But the entertainment was don off and French public opinion was starting to deform against the entire political division , which seemed incompetent of fulfilling even the most basic task of governing — a feeling familiar to 21st century Americans . As newspapers across the political spectrum pile derision on the Chamber of Deputies , opposition among the Radicals ( who despite their name were actually restrained compared to the Socialists ) began to crumble , raising promise of a compromise .
It fell to René Viviani , Poincare ’s first choice for premier a few weeks before , to form a new governing through some political dexterity - of - manus , otherwise known as lying . On June 13 , 1914 Viviani shape a new cabinet rule by moderate leftist who told their portion they were committed to turn over the Three - Year Service Law – but then reversed their position as soon as the Chamber voted to approve the cabinet . Indignant , the Socialists retreat their support , but the Radicals were able to muster enough vote to keep the government in power . The Three - Year Service Law was good … for now .
“Russia is Ready, France Must Be Ready Too!”
Upholding the Three - Year Service Law was crucial to conserve France ’s alliance with Russia , the cornerstone of Gallic national security . Just in case anyone forgot was at bet , on June 13 , 1914 the Russian war rector , Vladimir Sukhomlinov , published an anonymous op - ed in Birzheye Vedomosti , a Russian newsprint that often served as an official mouthpiece , titled “ Russia is Ready , France Must Be Ready Too ! ”
The article pointed out that Russia was build up strategical railroads and preparing to increase its standing USA to 2.3 million men and urged France to maintain the Three - Year Service Law , raising the French standing U. S. Army to 770,000 piece . Only then could would they have a decisive advantage against Germany and and Austria - Hungary , with standing army of 880,000 and 500,000 , severally .
Sukhomlinov ’s judgment piece sent a clear substance to friend and foe alike , including Germany , where its inflammatory empty talk only stokedparanoiaaboutencirclement . When Kaiser Wilhelm incur a translated variant he scribbled raging note in the margins , noting that Russia ’s strategic railroads were “ All against Germany ! ” and conclude “ Well ! Finally the Russians have shown their hand . Any person in Germany who does not now believe that the Russo - Gauls are not working together at eminent tenseness for a war with us very soon and that we should take corresponding riposte - criterion deserves to be post to the lunatic refuge … ”
A few daylight alter Chancellor Bethmann - Hollweg go across the clause along to the German ambassador to London , Prince Lichnowsky , with this blue short letter : “ The chemical reaction on German public judgement has been evident and serious . Whereas formerly , it was only the extremists among the Pan - Germans and militarists who cheer that Russia was making systematic cookery for a warfare of hostility upon us very soon , even moderate public military personnel are now inclined to this vista … ”
See theprevious installmentorall ledger entry .
