July 28th, 1914, Europe stands on the verge of a centennial spanning war once more as what had become known as the "July Crisis" spiraled out of control. On June 28th, a month previous, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the Austro-Hungarian heir had been assassinated in the streets of Sarajevo by a Bosnian Serb, sparking the crisis with Austria-Hungary blaming the independent country of Serbia.
A month was spent with a fury of diplomatic cables passing back and forth between both nations, and the many nations of Europe as the grand alliances so organized discussed their options. The Triple Entente of France, Russia, and Britain debated if they would support Serbia if Austria-Hungary invaded, as Germany and Italy debated their own option, being part of the Triple Alliance organized to counter the Entente.
On 23 July, Austria delivered an ultimatum to Serbia, listing ten demands made intentionally unacceptable to provide an excuse for starting hostilities against the nation in retaliation for the assassination. Serbia ordered a general mobilization on 25 July and even accepted almost all the terms, except for those empowering Austrian representatives to suppress "subversive elements" inside Serbia, and take part in the investigation and trial of Serbians linked to the assassination. On July 27th, viewing this as a rejection, Austria-Hungary broke off all diplomatic relations with Serbia and the next day officially declared war on their neighboring nation. As war clouds now descended across Europe it remained to be seen if the Greater Alliances would soon find themselves in an expeditiously growing war as Austrian shells dropped on the Serbian capital of Belgrade…
14 Dreadnoughts (+3 in .5 Years, +1 in 2.5 Years, +1 in 3 Years, +1 in 3.5 Years), 29 Pre-Dreadnoughts, 5 Battlecruisers (+1 in .5 Years, +1 in 1.5 Years, +1 in 3 Years), 13 Armored Cruisers, 35 Light Cruisers (+3 in .5 Years, +3 in 1.5 Years), 125 Destroyers (+11 in .5 Years, +12 in 1.5 Years), 30 U-Boats (+8 in .5 Years, +3 in 1 Year, +3 in 1.5 Years)
4 Dreadnoughts (+3 in 2 Years, +3 in 2.5 Years, +1 in 3 Years, +1 in 3.5 Years), 21 Pre-Dreadnoughts, 19 Armored Cruisers, 10 Protected Cruisers, 80 Torpedo Boats-Destroyers (+2 in 2 Years, +1 in 2.5 Years), 84 Submarines (+1 in .5 Years, +1 in 1.5 Years, +3 in 2 Years, +3 in 2.5 Years, +1 in 3.5 Years, +3 in 1.5 Years, +4 in 4 Years)
0 Dreadnoughts (+2 in 0.5 Years, +3 in 1 Year, +1 in 1.5 Years, +1 in 3 Years), 14 Pre-Dreadnoughts, 0 Battlecruisers (+2 in 2 Years, +2 in 2.5 Years), 6 Armored Cruisers, 8 Protected Cruisers, 0 Light Cruisers +1 in 1.5 Years, +3 in 2 Years), 103 Destroyers (+4 in .5 Years, +3 in 1 Year, +8 in 1.5 Years. +2 in 2 Years, +2 in 2.5 Years) 23 Torpedo Boats, 25 Submarines (+1 in .5 Years, +2 in 1 Year, +4 in 1.5 Years, 6 in 2 Years, 7 in 2.5 Years, 4 in 3 Years)
20 Dreadnoughts (+3 in 0.5 Years, +1 in 1 Year, +1 in 1.5 Years, +5 in 2 Years, +2 in 2.5 Years, +1 in 3.5 Years), 49 Pre-Dreadnoughts, 8 Battlecruisers (+1 in .5 Years), 34 Armored Cruisers, 69 Protected Cruisers, 15 Light Cruisers (+7 in .5 Years, +8 in 1 Year, +1 in 1.5 Years), 15 Scout Cruisers, 219 Destroyers (+11 in .5 Years +5 in 1 Year, +3 in 1.5 Years) 80 Torpedo Boats (+2 in 2 Years, +1 in 2.5 Years), 78 Submarines (+3 in .5 Years, +4 in 1 Year)
"A damned fool thing, this nonsense in the Balkans is! But I expected as much, Bismarck never looked beyond the end of that over-involving nose of his!"
"Confounded, Theobald, do you know what this means? War! War with France, war with Russia! War with Britain! Agadir was bad enough, but those damnable generals are going to drag the entire Reich into the earth if it means they get their sabres wet with blood."
"Damn you, fetch me Helfferich, I want the following telegraphs sent."
"Hrm? Oh yes, and give Franz my best."
From the office of the ambassador to the Russian Empire, Friederich von Pourtales @Lazer Raptor, @Thiccroy
Nicky, beloved cousin,
I hope this letter reaches you well. How is little Alexei? I hear you have found a magic healer with a wondrous gift that keeps the boy's moods right. I tell you, once his humours improve, you should come visit me in Konigsberg, not much of a Baltic Sea to admire in that frozen palace in Saint Petersburg, cousin. However, I do not write for mere cordiality.
No doubt my ambassador has informed you of my intention to aid the government in Vienna in any way I can, however I also know that your government and your person consider yourselves responsible for the lives of the Serbs. I sense a terrible thing brewing if we persist down this road. I strongly urge that you reconsider your stance, and I will do my part to maintain the independence of Serbia and your allies in the Balkans.
Let us not sacrifice the blood of the young like the little Tsarevich on this,
Your Cousin,
Wilhelm
From the office of the ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Prince Lichnowsky, @Hyvelic, @Zeroth Jupi
Bertie,
I write to you in this dark hour with an urgent desire for peace. My ambassador tells me of your cabinet's intent to take to arms over this matter in the Balkans. Is this truly the end of the friendship we have held for so long, that we must thrash one another over some Slavs in the Balkan mountains? I tell you this, the Austrians will not exact more than is demanded for the sake of honour, and I know you well enough that you would not do any less were your boys put in such a danger.
This is not the time for strife between our families, cousin, we must persist against the savage throngs of revolutionary rabble that are clearly responsible for this vile attack on Vienna. Please, come to Konigsberg, I will receive you as a friend with naught but an olive branch in hand, so we may discuss a future with peace in our time.
Your Cousin,
Wilhelm
From the office of the plenipotentiary-special to the Kingdom of Romania, Georg Michaelis @Another Amoeba@Princess_Hex
To His Majesty, Carol of Romania, and his Heir
As one monarch to another, I bring words of encouragement and anticipation. A terrible thing has transpired in this dreadful year in Saravejo. A Serbian terrorist wielding a gun crafted in Belgrade has struck down the beloved Archduke of Austria, leaving a realm with no heir and a dynasty in the throes of grief. It is this grief that drives Francis Joseph and his government to act as they do, and it is in this grief I seek to counsel him.
Mark my words, this is not a war of expansionism, annihilation, or any matter pertaining to the annexation of the Balkans from Vienna, and that is the message I hope to bring to you, that you understand that our alliance has no plans or desires against the nationhood of Roumania. In fact, I would ask, as a Hohenzollern to another, that you join us in our defensive war against revolutionary terrorists. Russia mobilizes to make war on Austria, and while the good dignities of empires I hope persist, how long before Russian troops billet in Bucharest, or fish off the coast of Constanta?
I pray for all the souls of good Europeans that you do not allow this to happen. Our peace is inherently your peace, and if the enemy seeks to make war, then we must be entitled to defend ourselves in such a grievous matter.
I write to you as a fellow monarch to another, and as a cousin, that I urge ultimate restraint in this matter of Serbia. I have attempted to, and hopefully will, maintain the strength of European peace, but I believe that grief-stricken Franz Joseph intends to make his designs upon Serbia through force. This is a very unfortunate matter, indeed.
That being said, should the smoke of war clear, I believe a peace settlement must be achieved in the Balkans that would last longer than the last. It should be noted that greatest stability came with your dominion over the historic region of Macedonia. While Greece is ever-entitled to her historic lands, I believe that this region should be placed under Bulgarian control in exchange for your support, politically and militarily, against the Serbians who clearly seek to encourage chaos and dissent among the ranks of European royalty.
I offer an invitation for your government to attend a meeting in Germany to discuss Bulgaria's future in the Balkans,
"We have never experienced - and it is an unexampled good fortune - the sensation of peril ... How would it be, if some morning the bugle of war sounded at the frontier? ... In Belgium we never think of it. We think that tomorrow will be like yesterday, we watch time passing, we never ask about the future. Let us imagine, in a terrible dream, invasion, occupation ... and after the horrors of the lost battle, the forced labour, the requisitioning, the humiliations, and the shame!" Paul Hymans, 1913
The Kingdom of Belgium was a most unusual creature in imperial Europe. It was spawned from a revolution between tendencies that were radically at odds with one another outside of their specific context. First, the Francophile liberals that despised the heavy-handed despotism of the Dutch monarch. Second, the Catholic faithful who found the Protestant William I intolerable in theory and practice. As Maarten Van Ginderachter put it, "Independence was founded on a compromise between ideological opposites. The constitution consecrated the relative withdrawal of the state from the public domain in the name of freedom. That way liberals obtained a separation between state and church, but, in exchange, Catholics did not have to fear a strong, pervasive laic state. Thanks to the freedoms of association, religion, and education, Catholics could retain their grip on society through their extensive network of social institutions."
The Walloons and Flemish were united more by their antagonist than any sort of affection. And there would be many years of griping–peaceful or otherwise–from the latter on the domination of the former in government. No matter their arguments, however, a new state was born upon the chess board of nations. It shared most of Britain's liberal constitution. There was a bicameral parliament to girdle a monarchy on the principles of checks and balances, ministerial responsibility, and suffrage for the propertied classes. For, indeed, the house of Orange had awoken the gallantry of the powerful in opposition to Dutch rule: succession was an elite-led project from insemination to birth. They abhorred collectively the volonté générale of Rousseauian liberalism. There would be no centralizing state for that way spelled danger to tyranny. In 1830, the enfranchised population totaled 46,000 males–quite literally one percent of the nation.
Of course, much had changed from 1830 to 1914. The masses successfully pushed for suffrage of some kind. The Belgian Labour Party was one of two socialist associations that utilized a general strike during the early 20th century. Strangely, unlike their Russian companions, the BLP was firmly reformist. For a while, they were the darling of the reform school. Austria's social democratic cafes made "long live Belgium!" and "Speak Belgian" into socialist catchphrases. Equally, the socialist left condemned their accommodation of the establishment. Rosa Luxemburg called them traitors to Marx; plural suffrage did not mean "one man, one vote" as segments of society favorable to the powerful had twice the number of votes. There were also the humanitarian concerns in the Congo, which the English press took up with gusto. Furthermore, Belgium's survival was based on article VII of the annexes to the treaty of London signed by the sovereigns of Austria, Britain, France, Prussia, and Russia.
Belgium lived on her neutrality. It would take no side in a conflict with France and Germany unless pushed. The two had a barrier in turn. Meanwhile, Britain profited from a traditional avenue of invasion being blocked. However, the treaty obligation of the powers to said neutrality was fuzzy. Nineteenth-century intellectuals had defined guarantees into two large categories. A joint and several guarantee meant the signatories were obligated to defend the offended party if the treaty was broken. A joint guarantee meant they did not have to. Worryingly, the great powers had taken the view that article VII was a joint guarantee in the past. During the war of 1870, the possibility of invasion from either Germany or France was real: the British prime minister was told as such. The Belgian army had been summoned to ensure a prompt defense of the frontiers. Since the invasion did not happen, public opinion dubbed the "miracle of '70" as a validation of Belgian neutrality and not Belgian arms.
The military of the kingdom had atrophied greatly since 1870. After a frenzy of twelve and nine forts being built in Liege and Namur, the break in tensions after the 1890s meant manpower did not keep up with the installations. In 1902, a system of volunteers was relied on to make up the shortfall in the lottery system and mobilization. Intransigent Catholics saw the army as a demoralizing influence–a quick path to the evils of the bottle and body. Socialists were never friends to military authority. Any war away from class war was the byproduct of Capitalist greed. Lawyers said 1839 and 1870 made the expansion of the military superfluous. Businessmen balked at higher taxes. Thus, the support for universal short-term service was low until the international climate warmed several degrees following the Moroccan troubles and the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Foreigners were not kind about Belgian arms. One French attaché reported the army's budget being stagnant and the volunteer system working poorly. British diplomat Sir Arthur Hardinge called her "a weak country of immense wealth and fertility." The Germans most of all rated the defense structure being of "little value… It is scarcely on a par with our reserve divisions." German opinion especially mattered because the Belgian military expected them to violate the nation's neutrality through the south of the Sambre-Meuse line in 1901. The capability of them being able to do just that was easy to see. Double-track railroads aimed at Belgium were being built in Trier and in the uplands of the Eifel. They were poor territory for railways given their undeveloped status; it could not be justified on economic grounds.
There were two other episodes to cause concern. Royal cousins of the Belgium monarchy warned that the "miracle of '70" would not be repeated in another war between France and Germany. The kaiser himself repeatedly tried to court Leopold II and Albert I into the Triple Alliance. He recklessly offered northern France as a reward for breaking neutrality. When he was rebuffed by both kings, the kaiser said nothing was off the table if Germany had to defend herself. Even the volume of trade done in Antwerp with its colony of forty thousand Germans–many intermarrying with families in the Rhineland–might not be enough should France storm the nation.
The military reform program pushed in 1911 under the principle of armed neutrality was a step to repudiate German calculations about invading Belgium. But the compulsory service prescribed by the bill was watered down because of Liberal and Catholic horse-trading. In the short term, as the army was being rejuvenated, they would take some time to adjust to new realities. They would be somewhat weaker for lack of qualified NCOs and war-fighting supplies. It just so happens that the frail barrier was caught up in the July Crisis.
Citations
Ginderachter, The Everyday Nationalism of Workers (Stanford, 2019).
Stevenson, 'Battlefield or Barrier? Rearmament and Military Planning in Belgium, 1902–1914', The International History Review, 29 (2007), pp. 473-507.
Veranneman, Belgium in the Great War (Southern Yorkshire, 2018).
Italy flexes its muscles; PM Salandra declares commitment to "open Adriatic"
Italy is deeply invested in the crisis across the Adriatic; and more importantly, it is not afraid of declaring its position in words and steel.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Taranto this past week. Ahead of a momentous demonstration by the Regia Marina, Antonio Salandra made a appearance. In his bold speech, the PM outlined what the navy, in all its glory, was preparing for:
A task of great importance, a position of national security. The Regia Marina, in Salandra's words, was to ensure "the waters of the Adriatic remain unmolested".
With bravado, Salandra threw Italy's gauntlet down: no matter how the conflict escalated, the Mare Superum would not be defiled.
Some may say this is a bellow of a warmonger, but Salandra's declaration was far from that. As certain countries buckle from the aftershocks of war, opportunistic nations seek to dominate key positions now in anarchy.
Italy is not in the business of letting that happen.
Nikolai thoughts, pacing back and forth in his solar. His heeled boots, against the wooden floor, was the only sound occupying the room. Behind him, in folded palms, he held the documents that told him of the news from Belgrade. Austrian shells had landed. The Hapsburgs were moving forth, like dogs.
War. God...
The Father of all the Rus and Slavs stopped, peering at a window to the outside. Slowly, he walked toward it- a desk just under the window, holding a letter.
From Willy. Thought the Czar.
Sighing deeply, he pulled the chair before the desk out and sat down into its cushioned surface. He groaned, taking a pen, and a fresh piece of paper. He put his thoughts into written words.
Sadly, it seems, we correspond in the direst of circumstances.
For your information- yes. My little Alexei is well enough. Rasputin, the monk, is a true spiritual agent of God, and I would like you to meet him one day. However, meeting him, Alexei, Alexandra or even me again will be skim these coming months. This war that the Austrians have brought forth upon my Slavic brothers in Serbia is too much to bare.
Willy. If you are able, then please. Please, for the love of our friendship, our peoples and God, fix this. I will seek to mediate the anger of my Serbian children, who, much like any Slav, is under my protection, as ordained by God. Their hatred will be stemmed, and hopefully, this misunderstanding will not burn into the bright, all-encompassing evil that is War.
I write to you as a fellow monarch to another, and as a cousin, that I urge ultimate restraint in this matter of Serbia. I have attempted to, and hopefully will, maintain the strength of European peace, but I believe that grief-stricken Franz Joseph intends to make his designs upon Serbia through force. This is a very unfortunate matter, indeed.
That being said, should the smoke of war clear, I believe a peace settlement must be achieved in the Balkans that would last longer than the last. It should be noted that greatest stability came with your dominion over the historic region of Macedonia. While Greece is ever-entitled to her historic lands, I believe that this region should be placed under Bulgarian control in exchange for your support, politically and militarily, against the Serbians who clearly seek to encourage chaos and dissent among the ranks of European royalty.
I offer an invitation for your government to attend a meeting in Germany to discuss Bulgaria's future in the Balkans,
Your missive has been received here in Sofia. Naturally one hopes that peace may prevail in these trying times, but it appears as though nations within Europe must prepare for the worst.
Regretfully, at this point Bulgaria must reject any notion of military action against the Serbian government, We are not yet recovered from the last war, and precipitous movement would only lead to more death and suffering. While my own schedule regretfully does not allow me to attend in person, the Bulgarian government is more than willing to meet with yours to discuss current affairs and the post war Balkan order.
From the office of the Prime Minister Eduardo Dato, on behalf of His Royal Majesty the King of Spain to the Deutsches Reich @Karen
His Imperial and Royal Majesty, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm,
News pertaining events unfolding in faraway Serbia have reached our nation and are cause of great concern, both to us and our subjects.
There are those who already the unfolding violence as the catalyst for a conflict of unspeakable proportions and dire consequences. We, on the other hand, remain firm in our unshakeable belief that you are a force of order amid this chaotic storm and that it is through your strength that cooler heads will prevail in the end.
As the shadow of an european conflict looms over our heads, we wish to let the German people know that Spain stand ready to lent all its might and verb to find out a peaceful and fair resolution to this crisis. Should the need arise for mediation, Spain has always been a faithful and firm defender of Justice and God.
Amid the many concerns spawned from the nightmares seeping from each new cable, one that greatly primes among many members of the cabinet is the flow of supplies and the proper fulfillment of contracts. To put their minds at ease and give assurances to many other industrious spaniards, we would like for you to consider concessions in the form of production licenses for machinery parts. In particular those concerning to Maschinengewehr 08 models and farming tractors Deutz D series alongside pesticides and fertilizer. The first are of special concern to manufacturers in our northern regions while the latter are essential to guarantee a proper agricultural development of our crops and fields.
We eagerly await your reply, having no doubt that by your guiding hand all these concerns will be swept away as if conjured by a bad memory.
His Majesty, King of Spain, Alfonso León Fernando María Santiago Isidro Pascual Antón
From the office of the Prime Minister Eduardo Dato, on behalf of His Royal Majesty the King of Spain to the French Republic @Fingon888@etranger01
His Excellency, Raymond Poincaré, President of the French Republic
News pertaining events unfolding in faraway Serbia have reached our nation and are cause of great concern, both to us and our subjects.
There are those who already the unfolding violence as the catalyst for a conflict of unspeakable proportions and dire consequences. We, on the other hand, remain firm in our unshakeable belief that France will remain as the shining beacon of reason amid these turbulent times.
However, given the complexity and number of layers sewn within the current tapestry of european alliances, we see the potential for a need of new perspective. It is our erstwhile and honest intent to let the people of France be aware that Spain stand ready to lent all its might and verb to find out a peaceful and fair resolution to this crisis.
As the shadow of an european conflict looms over our heads, we wish to let the German people know that Spain stand ready to lent all its might and verb to find out a peaceful and fair resolution to this crisis. Should the need arise for mediation, Spain has always been a faithful and firm defender of Justice and God.
Amid the many concerns spawned from the nightmares seeping from each new cable, one that greatly primes among many members of the cabinet is the flow of supplies and the proper fulfillment of contracts. To put their minds at ease and give assurances to many other industrious spaniards, we would like for you to consider concessions in the form of production licenses for machinery parts. In particular those concerning to mle 1913 Schneider models and farming tractors Rumely LaPorte series alongside pesticides and fertilizer. The first are of special concern to manufacturers in our northern regions while the latter are essential to guarantee a proper agricultural development of our crops and fields.
We eagerly await your reply, having no doubt that France will continue to honor its legacy of reason and progress, illuminating the path to peace and prosperity to its fellow nations across Europe and beyond.
His Majesty, King of Spain, Alfonso León Fernando María Santiago Isidro Pascual Antón
In accordance with the Stuttgart resolution, the Permanent Office of the Socialist International summoned the leading minds of the social democratic movement across Europe to prevent an unimaginable holocaust. The murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie had set off a powder keg in the Balkans. Imperial leaders in Austria-Hungary imagined the moment to fetter Pan-Slavic sentiment had come. Ignoring an internal report that all the terrorists involved in the crime were native to Austria, and no definitive link between the Serbian establishment and the assassination, the moment was seized with gusto. Even the Hungarian minister-president István Tisza, who dragged his foot during the early moments of the July Crisis, was won over through the appeals of the emperor and foreign minister.
Vienna was the master of the moment. It was their initiative that determined the future of Europe. They would use the assassination to coerce the Kingdom of Serbia into a subservient position, checking Russian ambition there. What was meant to be a diplomatic victory over the so-called "Balkan League" that Russia was fermenting, however, developed into a war to shatter Serbia's might forever. German assistance was called for and received. The kaiser backed his only reliable ally in the Triple Alliance. Italy seemed to prevaricate over military commitments. Romania flirted with Russia and Serbia despite their secret attachment to Germany. With German support Austria could develop an ultimatum that was intolerable to Serbia and justify their belligerent course of action.
The Russian response to the ultimatum of 24 July was telling. Foreign Minister Sergey Sazonov shouted, "You are setting fire to Europe!" By the morning of the 25th, the Grand Council decided to kick start a period "preparatory to war" in the military districts of Kiev, Odessa, Moscow, and Kazan. The French ambassador agreed to uphold the Entente. France would march with Russia if war was declared. Attempts by the British to set up a multi-party meeting in London to hash out a deal was going nowhere. Berlin's point to "localize" the conflict between Austria and Serbia was unsustainable. Saint Petersburg would not accept such one-sided butchery.
Meanwhile, as the deliberations unfolded in secret, a circus ring in Brussels was filled with socialists. Here, Britain's Keir Hardie rubbed shoulders with Germany's Karl Kautsky, Rosa Luxemburg, and Hugo Haase; Jean Jaurès and four other comrades arrived from France; and Russia's Pavel Axelrod joined Angelica Balabanov from Italy alongside native Emile Vandervelde, Edward Anseele, and Camille Huysmans. Their speeches were universally in favor of peace. Jaurès' jeremiad was epic despite him being sick. But there was an ominous tone to Luxemburg's pessimistic declaration. Would the parliamentary cohorts of the socialist creed follow them? The answer was uncertain. Indeed, the reformist school was concerningly susceptible to national opinion despite their internationalist background. Could the working class fall victim to the call of service? The question, too, had no definitive outcome so far.
The Belgian Government have decided to place the army upon a strengthened peace footing.
This step should in no way be confused with mobilisation.
Owing to the small extent of her territory, all Belgium consists, in some degree, of a frontier zone. Her army on the ordinary peace footing consists of only one class of armed militia; on the strengthened peace footing, owing to the recall of three classes, her army divisions and her cavalry division comprise effective units of the same strength as those of the corps permanently maintained in the frontier zones of the neighbouring Powers.
This information will enable you to reply to any questions which may be addressed to you.
July 29th, 1914
Delivered to relevant Foreign Ministries,
On behalf of Tsar Ferdinand I and the Bulgarian government, we hereby declare neutrality in the conflict between Serbia and Austria-Hungary. As Bulgaria is still recovering from the financial and military strain of the previous Balkan War, it would be foolish of us to become involkved in another one at this time.
From the Viceroy of India, Lord Hardinge; To Prime Minister H. H. Asquith [ @Hyvelic , @Zeroth Jupi ]
Sir,
Given the current state of things in Europe, I am endeavoring to send you this missive to reassure you that India stands behind you and the rest of the Empire in these trying times. Currently, the Indian Army can provide two cavalry and two infantry divisions. However, these divisions are not used to European weather, particularly the cold, and are not familiar with the Lee-Enfield, being armed with the Martini-Henry. In addition, they suffer from a lack of artillery. They will necessarily require reequipping and retraining before deployment to Europe. I am already endeavoring to begin increased recruitment, seeing as the future looks warlike. I am also recruiting for a labor force to be shipped to areas in need of work behind the lines. (Wherever they may be.) For further expansion, we will require shipments of modern arms.
Following his bombastic speech in Taranto, the Prime Minister was the subject of much speculation. Could he be laying the groundwork for Italian involvement in Serbia? Something grander? Cooperation with the Austrians?
In praising and disdainful tones, Salandra's intentions were debated. Given this, his next appearance drew much attention, as he held the Kingdom on edge.
For many, a sigh of relief came as Salandra reassured the nation that Italy would not be joining Austria's Serbian campaign. Thereafter, a slew of mixed feelings emerged as nevertheless, Salandra reiterated his naval policy.
The Adriatic would remain undefiled, yes. Foreign dreadnoughts had no business there, whatever country they belonged to. According to Salandra himself, "from Vloe to Venice, the sea will be as placid as can be, and Italy shall ensure that". Implicitly tying Italian neutrality to "calm" in the Adriatic, Salandra then took a step further, announcing the Regia Marina's altered footing: as previously outlined, the Kingdom's navy would back the Prime Minister's policy with military might.
The speech's shockwaves reverberated across the country. The left decried it as a distraction from the worker's oppression, as the right vociferously disagreed with them. For nationalists, it was the sign of a stand being taken, a line drawn in the sand with shells and ships. The King did not take either side, but such bold proclamations have, at a minimum, royal tolerance.
The events playing out at the end of July of the year 1914 stunned many as the countries of Europe moved towards a conflict, that some said were "unavoidable". Austria-Hungary, a giant across Central and Eastern Europe, had declared war on the country of Serbia on July 28th, after heated talks back and forth, the direct result of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand a month earlier. With this declaration, the shelling of the capital city of Belgrade taking place within hours of it being delivered, the world held its breath watching the slumbering giants of Europe... waiting to see if War would be regional or have greater implications.
Imperial Russia, led by Tsar Nicholas II, did not want war, it still clawing itself out of the domestic troubles of the last decade and the events of 1905. Its military was also deep within a reorganization that while having made great strides over the last several years, still had several years until its completion. Yet the Tsar knew he could not let stand the Austrian declaration, having already ordered a partial mobilization back on July 25th, in the early hours of July 30th, 1914, orders and dispatches were sent ordering a General mobilization of the Russian Army. Russia would stand with its Slavic brothers in Serbia, Russian troops quickly amassing along the Austrian-Hungarian Border...
THE KAISER'S GOVERNMENT STEPS UP! SPANISH TO RECIEVE BOON
BERLIN--- Mnstr. von Jagow and Mnstr. Hefflerich have announced a robust plan, with support from the Reichstag, to relieve the beleaguered Spanish Kingdom. Under the approval of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the government shall provide Spain with the means to bring a battered nation into modernity. While the details of the agreement are not publicly available, the press is proud to announce that German ingenuity and the economic power of the Kaiserreich shall be laid to maintaining Europe's peaceful accord.
"A day! Nicky gave me a day, can you believe the audacity of this simple man!? Russia will throw all our plans into disarray as soon as their boots cross into the Austrian frontier."
"No, we cannot allow it, Germany shall provide the means for Austria to fight. Yes, yes, I am perfectly aware that the British have no interest in concord, and the Belgians."
"There is much work to be done. I want a meeting with the General Staff. Are you certain of this? I believe the first blunder has been made..."
In other news, His Imperial Majesty has left Berlin to travel to Duisburg.
Tensions on the Waves! July 28th - August 3rd, 1914
Tensions on the Waves! July 28th - August 3rd, 1914
SMS Breslau, German Light Cruiser
Nations trembled as war clouds seemed to be closing in on Europe as hundreds of thousands of soldiers assembled across great empires. As men and animals moved across vast lands, events in the Mediterranean Sea soon caught the ears of the radio waves as reports came in of positioning taking place along the waves.
Two ships of the German Hochseeflotte or High Seas Fleet, the Battlecruiser SMS Goeben and the Light Cruiser SMS Breslau, known as the Mittelmeerdivision under the command of Konteradmiral Wilhelm Souchon found themselves in the port of Pola in Croatia as war was declared between Austria-Hungary and Serbia. With the announcement of war, Admiral Souchon received orders to make sail at once, especially after the Italian declaration regarding the Adriatic. Mid-day July 28th, saw them leave Pola, their coal bunkers topped off the best they could, making their way south and out of the Adriatic.
The island of Malta, home to the British Empire's Mediterranean Fleet, headed by Admiral Archibald Berkeley Milne, a powerful collection of Battlecruisers, Cruisers, and Destroyers deployed to safeguard British interests in the Med and protect the shipping lanes. The Admiralty ordered a high alert for their naval forces as tensions mounted, sparked higher as HMS Gloucester, on far patrol around the island reported spotting the two German ships early on July 30th, as reports came in of the Russian order for General Mobilization.
Hurried messages were sent from Malta back to England as orders were requested, Admiral Souchon requesting his own instructions as his ships had orders to "scout" towards Malta before breaking off and changing course. Several destroyers and light cruisers were ordered out of the Grand Harbour in the city of Valletta, as the three battlecruisers of the Mediterranean Fleet, HMS Inflexible, Indefatigable, and Indomitable, were ordered to make steam.
With new orders in hand, and with the spotting of the British ships steaming towards them, Admiral Souchon turned back from the island, heading eastward, the British Fleet making course to follow and pursue. While orders were issued to pursue, the British Admiralty made it very clear that no hostile action was to be had unless war was declared between England and Germany, intercepts and shadowing only.
As these events took place, the British sent a telegram early on August 1st informing their allies of France that German ships had been sighted off Malta and that the British Fleet had mobilized and were shadowing them, they suspected that the Germans were making for Greece, Crete, or the Suez. Orders were immediately issued for a heightened alert for France's own Fleet, the Armee Navale, under the command of Vice-Amiral Augustin Boue de Lapeyrere with several squadrons deploying to patrol the western half of the Med, more specifically Algiers and Tunis in North Africa.
Meanwhile, Admiral Souchon's small squadron, having temporarily lost its British pursuers in a rain squall met up with several German merchant ships, taking on emergency coal of close to two thousand tons, allowing them to proceed as they sailed eastward. For many hours the British Navy sought to locate the missing pair of German ships, finally, a report came in on the second day of August as HMS Dublin found them cruising off the southern coast of Crete. British squadrons were redirected towards the contact, though elements of the Fleet were broken up, the majority heading towards the Suez in case this was a pre-emptive strike to take out the vital canal and critical to the British and their connection with the Middle East, India, and the Far East.
British ships in pursuit of SMS Goeben and SMS Breslau
Souchon had other plans, as he rounded Crete, quickly turning north and heading rapidly towards the Aegean Sea, the British still in pursuit. It quickly became obvious where the Germans were heading, as the distance from Ottoman claimed international waters declined, the German ships making full stream to reach them, as HMS Indefatigable and Indomitable moved north to intercept. As the sun began to rise on August 3rd, the German ships sailed past Ottoman forts at the entrance of the Dardanelles. Gun crews on the Gallipoli Peninsula were ordered not to fire as diplomatic exchanges were traded between the German Embassy in Constantinople and the Foreign Office of the Ottoman Empire with a deal struck between the two. Souchon and his squadron would find safe heaven under the guns of the Ottoman Empire.
Orders were dispatched to Admiral Milne to break off pursuit but to remain on station and shadow the Germans if they were to come out from under the Ottoman guns and back into the Mediterranean Sea. Tensions continued to rise as orders were sent out from the British Home Office across the Empire for mobilization of not just the Home Islands but across the Empire as well, with several South African units being deployed along the German Southwest Africa Border under command of Brigadier General Henry Lukin and Lieutenant Colonel Manie Maritz though these were just precautions, or so it was said, though several officers and even some of the men within these formations were uneasy about the deployment, the scars of the Second Boer War still fresh in their minds.
BERLIN-- Following a stunning declaration of hostilities by the British Foreign Office and the unprovoked pursuit of German ships from the Mittelmeerdivision through the Ionian Sea, the German Emperor has decreed this unprovoked act of aggression is testament to the desire for war exhibited by the governments of Saint Petersburg and London. The souls of good-natured Germans, of the subjects of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and even the outwardly neutral Ottoman Empire have been strung by British warships treading upon waters declared demilitarized. Blatant attempts to commit piracy foiled by the brilliance of KntrAdm. Souchon has prevented a tragedy for the Kaiserreich. Germany shall mobilize to defend her allies in response, and, God willing, the nation shall see peace before the year's end.
"And the French will follow?"
"Then we must act quickly, plans must be drawn up to fight the--- ah, yes."
As one monarch to another, I bring words of encouragement and anticipation. A terrible thing has transpired in this dreadful year in Saravejo. A Serbian terrorist wielding a gun crafted in Belgrade has struck down the beloved Archduke of Austria, leaving a realm with no heir and a dynasty in the throes of grief. It is this grief that drives Francis Joseph and his government to act as they do, and it is in this grief I seek to counsel him.
Mark my words, this is not a war of expansionism, annihilation, or any matter pertaining to the annexation of the Balkans from Vienna, and that is the message I hope to bring to you, that you understand that our alliance has no plans or desires against the nationhood of Roumania. In fact, I would ask, as a Hohenzollern to another, that you join us in our defensive war against revolutionary terrorists. Russia mobilizes to make war on Austria, and while the good dignities of empires I hope persist, how long before Russian troops billet in Bucharest, or fish off the coast of Constanta?
I pray for all the souls of good Europeans that you do not allow this to happen. Our peace is inherently your peace, and if the enemy seeks to make war, then we must be entitled to defend ourselves in such a grievous matter.
The exact contents of Carol's return note would be lost amid the hectic and diplomatic shuffle that had engulfed Europe by the time Romania might be said to have gotten its act together. However, in the diplomatic offices of Germany (in fact, in all the powers,) the Romanian diplomatic corps was active, and their message was simple. Although they dressed it up in language about pleading for a quick conclusion to the war, and the hope that they might extend the bounties of Romania to all nations following said conclusion, in the hopes that no man's suffering be acute or extended beyond reason, this was what they said: Romania was neutral. It was not a belligerent. It was not party to this war, and intended to remain in such a serene state.
"By jove, Émile, the jingoes have done it. The Balkans were bad enough, but now we have the awful incident at sea to consider. The BT states Germany's practically at war with Britain."
"Indeed, Your Majesty. We have reports from two border police officers–Bouko and Thill, I believe–that went to Aachen in mufti. The rumors about troop concentration there are true. A great number of units outside of the usual garrison are present."
"So it is as we have feared. Night descends upon Europe."
"Am I to assume we have the royal assent to accelerate our defensive preparations?"
"Of course. I will make my views known to M. de Broqueville."
August 3rd, 1914 Delivered to relevant Foreign Ministries,
On behalf of his majesty King Gustaf V and his excellency Prime Minister Hjalmar Hammarskjöld of the Swedish government, the Kingdom of Sweden hereby declares its neutrality in the ongoing European Conflicts.
Furthermore, we denounce in the harshest of terms the recent unprovoked escalatory actions of Admiral Milne of the British Royal Navy against the Imperial German Mittelmeerdivision and the blatant violation of neutral demilitarized waters.
In the interest of ensuring the sovereignty and security of the Swedish people from this escalating crisis, the Swedish Government has decided upon a partial mobilization of our armed forces.
We wish a swift end to the ongoing hostilities and may God be with us all.
Knut Wallenberg Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Sweden
A Treaty of Commerce and Friendship between the United States and the Ottoman Empire
I. The United States of America agrees to sell a [moderate] amount of foodstuffs such as grain, rice, corn, soy, potatoes, etc. to the Ottoman Empire at market prices before the end of 1914.
II. The United States of America agrees to dispatch a cohort of trained agricultural experts to the Ottoman Empire to help modernize its farming and irrigation techniques and make its agricultural base more drought resistant.
Signed, [X] - Henry Morgenthau, Sr. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on behalf of the United States
[X] - Yusuf Ziya Pasha Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on behalf of the Ottoman Empire
From the office of the Prime Minister Eduardo Dato, on behalf of His Royal Majesty the King of Spain to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland @Hyvelic
His Imperial and Royal Majesty, King of the United Kingdom and British Dominions, Emperor of India, George Frederick Ernest Albert,
Recent events pertaining actions taken on the Mediterranean have sparked no small amount of concern among the government of His Majesty and his people. While Spain has seen no harm come to her dominions, there remains an increasingly pervasive thought of seeing many, if not all, her neighbors involved in armed conflict of some sort.
After previous calls to Germany urging for a diplomatic effort to achieve a peaceful resolution have failed, we see now no other option than to beseech your government to deescalate the growing tensions. In the past century alone we have seen your Majesty's government and the people of Great Britain bring about the light of reason and civilization to the four corners of the world. Science and modernity have grown within your domains and spill into the world thanks to our continuous state of peace. It is clear for all who know of your majesty and nobility that if war is to be averted, only your government can bring about it.
In addition to these concerns and petitions, there remains the question of personal interests.
Spain formally request that should conflict occurs, despite all honest attempts to avert it, current trade and commercial arrangements will be guaranteed to continue between our two nations. Of special importance is the continuous supply of coal, utterly essential to the well functioning of Spanish industry and key to the survival of the people in the coming winter. We also seek, with the most humble of intentions, to obtain assurances that His Majesty's Royal Navy will not infringe upon the integrity and sanctity of Spain's territorial waters without previous arrangements have been sorted out by formal diplomatic channels with Spain's government.
His Majesty, King of Spain, Alfonso León Fernando María Santiago Isidro Pascual Antón
From the office of the Prime Minister Eduardo Dato, on behalf of His Royal Majesty the King of Spain to the French Republic @Fingon888@Weygand@etranger01
His Excellency, Raymond Poincaré, President of the French Republic
Recent events pertaining recent actions taken on the Mediterranean have sparked no small amount of concern among the government of His Majesty and his people. While Spain has seen no harm come to her dominions, there remains an increasingly pervasive thought of seeing many, if not all, her neighbors involved in armed conflict of some sort.
After previous calls both to Germany and your government urging for a diplomatic effort to achieve a peaceful resolution have failed, we see now no other option than to beseech your government to deescalate the growing tensions. In the past century alone we have seen the glory of France bring about the light of reason and civilization to the four corners of the world. Science and modernity have grown within your domains and spill into the world thanks to our continuous state of peace. It is clear for all who know of your enlightenment and nobility that if war is to be averted, only your government can bring about it.
In addition to these concerns and petitions, there remains the question of personal interests.
Spain formally request that should conflict occurs, despite all honest attempts to avert it, current trade and commercial arrangements will be guaranteed to continue between our two nations. Of special importance is the continuous supply of chemicals for industrial and medical purposes as well as assurances to good order and integrity at our mutually shared colonial borders. This latter, of course, includes territorial waters and designated fishing areas as well.
His Majesty, King of Spain, Alfonso León Fernando María Santiago Isidro Pascual Antón
With the announcement of German mobilization the Prime Minister and the Chief of the General Staff, Joseph Joffre, recommended to the President of the Republic that the armies of France be mobilized for war. The fitful hours of indecision had passed. Viviani had been assured by Edward Grey that England was as good as her word and that France would have aid. Of course in the style of diplomatic speaking which Edward Grey excelled at and in the division of the British Liberal cabinet, no utter faith could be held. Futhermore, the war plans of the allies were mere understandings which could at any moment be revised by either government. Henry Wilson, France's and Foch's greatest ally in England had masterminded the plan but the authority to implement it would rest with Asquith, the British Prime Minister, who was serving as Secretary of War. Most expected that Lord Kitchener would take that post in wartime, and none in Paris knew what that would mean.
The state of siege was underway as preparation for war entered into overdrive. Reactions across the nation were mixed, yet universally frenetic. Outpourings of nationalist emotion filled the streets. In Paris the first posters appeared at 4 o'clock. Groups of reservists with bundles and bouquets of farewell flowers were marching off to the Gare de l'Est, cheered by waving crowds of civilians. One group stopped to lay its flowers at the feet of the black-draped statue of Strasbourg on the Place de la Concorde. The crowds wept and cried "Vive l'Asace!" and tore off the mourning shroud she had worn since 1870. Orchestras in restaurants played the French, Russian, and British anthems.
In the town of Peyriac-Minervois in the Aude, far to the south of France, a cooper named Louis Barthas heard a drumroll and the town clerk announce the general mobilization. "This announcement, to my great amazement, aroused more enthusiasm than sorrow. Unthinking people seemed proud to live in a time when something so magnificent was about to happen... We saw extraordinary things: irreconcilable brothers suddenly reconciled; mothers-in-law and their sons-in-law, who the day before would have been smacking each other and pulling each other's hair out, now exchanging kisses; neighbors who weren't speaking, now engaging in the friendliest of dialogues. There were no more political adversaries, insults, injuries, hatreds - all forgotten. The first effect of the war was the accomplishment of a miracle - peace, concord, reconciliation among people who hated each other." He was too sick to march but all the gendarmes and neighbors of this southern commune made sure to save him from such unfortunate shame and to send him on to the depot.
At last, the shadow of Sedan might pass into history. The sword and the idea was now delivered to Foch and Joffre. The Republic was marching to war, for Alsace and Lorraine and liberty.
To His Majesty, the King of Spain, ((@DeMarcheese))
Thank you for your thoughtful letter. I have been authorized to respond on behalf of His Excellency the President of France, upon whose time there are many demands.
In brief, Your Majesty, we absolutely concur with the need for de-escalation in the present crisis. Unwarranted aggression and provocative maneuvers first by the Austro-Hungarian government and then by the German military regime have elevated tensions to an unacceptable level across the whole of Europe. The Entente Cordiale is wholly desirous of the resumption of peace and peaceful interchange between the nations of the continent, in agreement with Your Majesty's own expressed desires.
Therefore, it is my great pleasure to express our government's gratitude to Your Majesty for the exercise of your good offices on behalf of the cause of European peace by your remonstration with the German regime, which is the primary enabler and instigator of the present tensions and the crisis atmosphere. We earnestly hope that Your Majesty achieves success in causing the Germanic aggressor state to back down from its bellicose stance and thereby return amity and commerce to this great continent that we all share. Such a service on Your Majesty's part would be lauded by all civilized people everywhere.
As regards present arrangements with Your Majesty's nation of Spain, the government of France is more than happy to continue all such peaceful and fruitful relations as are possible given the present and near-future situations. Should anything occur to alter this state of affairs, the resolution shall be conducted in bilateral talks with Your Majesty's government, to the ideal benefit of all sides.
With utmost respect and regard, Pierre Paul Henri Gaston Doumergue, Minister of Foreign Affairs On behalf of His Excellency the President of France and the French Republic
Into the Killing Fields - July 28th - August 12th, 1914
Into the Killing Fields - July 28th - August 12th, 1914
Across Europe, patriotic songs were sung as hundreds of thousands answered the call to mobilize, the whistles of trains blasting heard across valleys and fields, and the stomping of feet in the millions was seen across the various road networks of the continent. Plans that had been worked on for years, some recent, some old, were put into practice as nations rallied around Austria-Hungary or Serbia as war became declared, the shelling of Belgrade ramping up as a show of power, Austrian forces assembling as Serbia soldiers manned defense lines. Age-old rivalries and grudges were playing across the writes as countries worked to find a solution to the war, even as shells rained down.
In the Mediterranean Sea, the well-publicized "Chase of the Goeben" played out in the early day of August, as Russia and its Czar ordered a general mobilization of its armies, the Czar having been heard to tell his Generals "we are prepared to do our utmost duty". As Russia mobilized on July 30th and quickly followed by Britain's decision to mobilize its great Empire on August 2nd, all eyes turned to Germany, all knowing that the actions of the Kaiser would signal the course Europe would be taking. On August 3rd Germany announced its own mobilization, followed hours later by France, quickly becoming clear that war was on the horizon.
As the great armies of nations coiled around it, playing a grand game of diplomacy, the nation of Serbia knew exactly what was in for it, its small yet rather skilled Army already mobilized and prepared to defend its borders from invasion. Field Marshal Radomir Putnik, while having submitted his resignation to King Peter on the grounds of age and ill health was retained by the Serbian monarch and quickly set out to organize the defense of his country. Three Armies were formed, the First under General Petar Bojović, the Second under Stepa Stepanović, and lastly the Third under Pavle Jurišić Šturm, with smaller detachments, deployed to protect the rest of Serbia's borders. As August arrives the Serbian Army grew to approximately 450,000 soldiers which comprised all able-bodied men between the ages of 21 and 45.
Serbian Troops moving up to their assigned positions as they mobilize.
Austria-Hungary was greatly motivated to exact their revenge on Serbia, for the Serbians clearly were at fault for the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and needed to be punished for their insolence. Of course, there were many other reasons that Austria could push for justification for the war, the cracks within the Empire having shown many years before, but rallying behind a quest for vengeance sat well and allowed Austria to show her might to both her neighbors and her allies.
Deployments of Austria's far larger military forces began in earnest and while Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf, Chief of Staff of the Austrian-Hungarian Army made great plans to take the war to Serbia there were greater concerns on the horizon. With Russia's mobilization, it was feared any day that Russia would join the war to protect her ally, the fertile lands of Galicia to become embroiled in fighting and blood. While some questioned putting him in command Archduke Eugene von Habsburg, having immediately reported for duty after having retired back in 1913, was placed in overall command of the First, Third, and Fourth Armies being assembled to defend Austro-Hungarian lands as reserve forces were shifted to the front as they mobilized and prepared for a Russian assault.
With that front believed under control, von Hötzendorf, in a rare move decided he would take direct command of the Serbian Front, directing the Second, Fifth, and Sixth Armies as they moved against the Serbian defenses and aimed to take the capital quickly. A grand offensive was organized to include both the Second and Fifth Armies, commanded respectfully by Eduard von Böhm-Ermolli and Liborius Ritter von Frank while Oskar Potiorek's Sixth Army operated along the Austrian-Serbian border with Bosnia and guarded the Austrian-Montenegro border as well.
Austrian forces preparing to march into Serbia.
For almost a week Austrian artillery fired across the border, hitting not only the capital but keeping back Serbian forces as several pontoon bridges were constructed and launched across both the Sava and Drina Rivers. On August 4th, the day after the announcement of German mobilization formations of the Austrian-Hungarian Second and Fifth Armies began their move, concentrating on driving towards Belgrade, exposing it in an envelopment and ending the war in what Oskar Potiorek called "a war against pig-farmers".
As Belgrade, Smederevo, and Veliko Gradište were hit daily by artillery, the elements of the IV Army Corps crossed and fought a sharp engagement at the town of Šabac, crossing into Serbia. Attempts were also made to directly across the Danube and flank Belgrade from the east, but combined heavy Serbian resistance and heavy losses shut down these attempts, von Hötzendorf, shifted the weight of his offensive more to towards the west, where another bridgehead was established by the XIII Corps at Loznica and Lešnica, allowing for the bulk of their forces to push into Serbia directly. Over a quarter of a million men were now crossing into Serbia, and another hundred thousand stationed on the western borders prepared to march as ordered.
Marshal Putnik had theorized that the Austrians would concentrate their forces on a northerly push but was a bit surprised when reports came in that no real push was being directed from Bosnia, even as their faithful ally the Kingdom of Montenegro joined the war. There was much rejoicing in Belgrade on August 5th as news of the Russian declaration of war against Austria-Hungary arrived and that they would be giving military support their ally of Serbia. Several hours later German issued their own declaration, standing by their allies of Austria-Hungary, as Russia quickly issued its own declaration in response. Within hours of this with mobilization underway across Europe Germany officially declared war on France as its troops crossed into its peaceful neighbor of Luxembourg.
As the war expanded across Europe, fighting continued unabated in Serbia as Austro-Hungarian troops pressed forward into the teeth of unexpected heavy resistance, the veterans of Serbia's army from two Balkan wars showing their mantle against their enemies. Losses pilled up as waves of Austrian infantry were cut down by machines, Serbia having built up this army over the last several years, the Austrians relying more and more on their artillery to blast holes in Serbian positions. Commanders on both sides were appalled at the loss of life, sometimes whole companies, even battalions being cut to ribbons as machine guns and artillery ripped attacking waves apart, though fighting often devolved to hand-to-hand contests.
Critical for both sides, ammunition of all types was soon being used at alarming rates, carefully built up reserves quickly depleting. Serbia suffered having fought two wars over the last two years and Austria-Hungary having to supply large-scale forces across two fronts and its over-taxed and undeveloped rail network suffered from the strain of supporting the war. In an effort to divert attention from the advance on Belgrade, Marshal Putnik ordered probing attacks towards the Sava River, using Pavle Jurišić Šturm's Third Army, and while the attacks inflicted losses on the Austrians, Feldzeugmeister Oskar Potiorek's Sixth Army mostly remained on the defensive, blunting Šturm's efforts.
Further north, however, Bojović's First and Stepa Stepanović's Second Serbian Armies were able to concentrate their efforts against the Austrian Second and Fifth Armies, and while they were slowly pushed back, losses continued to mount, as logistics became more difficult as forces pushed further into Serbia. In an effort to help isolate Serbia and keep supplies from reaching the beleaguered state, the Austrian Navy deployed from its anchorages, light forces moving against the Mongrenegrian ports, the rest of the fleet remaining in port but ready to sortie if needed. Many eyes looked to the Kingdom of Italy, as many across the globe saw this as a breach of their declaration of a "warship free Adriatic" as politicians across that country rushed to assure their people that Italy would not be entering into hostiles at the present time.
Austrian forces continued to press forward, even as reports of fighting came in of fighting erupting across Europe as more nations joined the ever-expanding war. Despite the heavy loss, now numbering in the thousands, the Austrians were able to make headway, the Serbian Army suffering heavily from under-preparedness and even lacking general supplies with many of their men even lacking showed. By the early hours of August 12th, Austrian forces were approaching the strategic town of Valjevo along a front of 100 miles in length, continuing their plan to cut off the capital of Belgrade with a large envelopment as the Danube Flottila of six monitors and six river boats continue efforts along the Danube, though Austrian efforts to cross the large river had faltered against furious resistance.
Both sides were already suffering from supply issues, though the lack of an advance from Bosnia made it difficult to open up new avenues for sending supplies, it did force the Serbians to have to keep forces watching that front in case the Austrians decided to rally. Both sides had many options open to them, both looking to adjust their strategies as news came in from both east and west.
With war declared by Russia upon Austria-Hungary, an act quickly responded to by Germany within hours, these three great nations prepared to do battle. All three moved to bring their armies ready for battle, hundreds of thousands being assembled, all waiting to see who would make the first strike.
Archduke Eugene von Habsburg continued to build up his First, Third, and Fourth Armies, commanded respectfully by Viktor Dankl von Krasnik, Rudolf von Brudermann, and Moritz von Auffenberg as reserves were brought in, including the majority of the Austrian-Hungarian reserve divisions, bring the total of troops along the border to almost a million, or least would be once they all arrived. While skirmishing would take place, no major fighting would take place along the Galician Front, for Conrad von Hötzendorf seemed to wish to concentrate his offensive push against Serbia, allowing his forces to mass before the Russians.
The fight major fighting would on the Eastern Front as it would become known would instead come to their north, as the Russian First and Second Armies, commanded by Generals Paul von Rennenkampf and General Alexander Samsonov with an estimated half million men and twelve hundred guns moved across the East Prussian frontier on August 7th, both armies sending forces much to the surprise of the Germans who didn't believe they could mobilize so quickly. The defense of East Prussia was left in the hands of General Maximilian von Prittwitz, an army composed of around one hundred and fifty thousand, but able to call upon many fortified cities and fortress not least of which being the great city of Königsberg.
von Rennenkampf's First Army divided into two halves and marched forward, two Corps (the III and XX) crossing the border and quickly marching toward the city of Memel on the Baltic coast while two other Corps (the II and IV) moved a limited advance towards Gumbinnen and Darkehmen. In the north General Vladimir Vasilyevich Smirnov, placed in command of both his own XX Corps and General Nikolai Epanchin's III Corps, supported by several cavalry divisions was able to quickly cross the frontiers and drive back the Landwehr before them. After three days of steady advancing, Smirnov's men were able to place the fortified city under siege, though the Germans were able to land the 36th Reserve Division under Generalmajor Kurt Kruge, the Russian Navy not making an appearance at this time.
German Infanterie defending their homeland in East Prussia
Memel however was now firmly under siege, though Smirnov found it hard to actually assault the town due to the Russian Army lacking heavily in heavy artillery, reliving on their field guns to do most of the bombarding. Smirnov had orders to continue his advance to threaten the Nieman River, but with the majority of his forces tied down around Memel, he could only send probes and cavalry, they unable to press past the fortified city of Tilist without heavy losses.
Further south von Rennenkampf's other force, under his direct command, launched its advance towards Gumbinnen and Darkehmen. While General von Prittwitz had wished to hold along the Angerapp River, ordering his forces to deploy there, General der Infanterie Hermann von François, commander of the German I Armeekorps and known for his aggressiveness pushed his Korps forward, meeting the forward elements of General Eris Khan Sultan Giray Aliyev's Russian IV Corps at Stallupönen.
Expecting the Germans to be further back and waiting for the XX Corps to arrive from the Second Army, the two divisions of the IV Corps and several cavalry divisions supporting it fought a series of meetings engagements in and around the town, with the Germans launching furious assaults across the Russian lines. Elements of Lieutenant General Kolyankovsky's 30th Division found their flank turned, as orders came in from von Prittwitz to withdraw, reports having arrived that Samsonov's Second army was now advancing on Ortensburg, his advance having encountered elements of General Friedrich von Scholtz's XX Corps, pushing back its defenders.
François angrily told his chief of staff to "Tell General von Prittwitz that General von François will break off the engagement when the Russians are defeated." Pressing his advantage, von François did just that, General Adalbert von Falk's breaking the 30th Divisions lines and routing a portion of them, all but stopping von Rennenkampf's advance until reinforcements could be brought up. As night fell, and with close to four thousand prisoners in tow, von François ordered his now bloodied Corps to fall back on Gumbinnen, still angered at having to fall back as von Prittwitz's air reconnaissance continued to report large formations of Russian troops move forward into the Masurian Lakes region...
Russian Infantry deployed in fighting positions in East Prussia
As combat raged to their north, both Austria-Hungarian and Russian forces continued to be built up in and around Galicia, patrols clashing daily both foot and horse moving forward to find each other's weaknesses. Above aircraft, many within both Army's having never seen a flying machine before in their lives, flying within the clouds, their pilots looking down to try and gain insight into enemy positions below, returning back to report as plans were finetuned.
General of Infantry Nikolai Ivanov's Southwestern Front had four Armies under his command, the Third (General of Infantry Nikolai Ruzsky), the Fourth (General of Infantry Baron Anton von Saltza), the Fifth (General of Cavalry Pavel Plehve), and the Eighth (General of Cavalry Aleksei Brusilov), with the Fourth and Fifth in the north and the Third and Eighth in the south along the front. It was estimated that by the time all forces were in place, close to one and a half million men would be ready to take the offensive, including several reserve formations being mobilized behind the front.
Archduke Eugene deployed his own forces, digging his formations in along the border hoping that the Serbian Campaign would be successful and concluded swiftly to allow for reinforcements to come north and east. Still, he had close to a million men of his own online or on their way to him, several smaller Armeegruppen formed to help cover possible advances along their flanks. This build-up took time, however, trains on both sides ran day and night as more and more troops were brought to the front, stockpiles of ammunition emptied from armories further back, and food and other supplies were pushed to the front. As the large armies began to uncoil, plans finalized, and the stomp of hundreds of thousands of feet heard events that transpired out West arrived swiftly across the telegraph.
War raged for a week as Austria-Hungary moved on Serbia and Russia began its quickened path towards supporting its besieged allies. With mobilization orders delivered to German, France, and British forces, all eyes centered just when, not if, the war would expand to the West. A massive war, one to be seen waged across several continents now seen on the horizon all but assured in many eyes across Europe.
The news came on August 5th of the entry of Russia into the war in the East, Germany quickly honored its alliance with their southern neighbor and declared war against "the Slavic horde", immediately putting in plans that had been developed across the last ten years. What would soon be known to history as the "Schlieffen Plan" named after former Chief of the German General Staff Graf Alfred Schlieffen would begin in the early hours of August 6th as the first German infantry across the French-German Frontier.
Of course, France had her own plans, the most up-to-date and to be enacted being Plan XVII drafted by General Joseph Joffre himself, the French Commander in Chief. Joffre's plan called for the deployment of five Armies, close to two million men in total, these units prepared to launch attacks against German "occupied" Alsace-Lorraine or if so determined shifted to support Belgium if their neutrality was violated.
On the same day as the war was declared against France, an ultimatum was sent to Belgium by German diplomats demanding free access through Belgian territory, allowing it to advance into France from the north. Only a day was given to consider the German "request" with King Albert informing his government that no such demands would be honored, and the Army ordered to prepare to defend the country's borders, as news came of fighting already breaking out along the French-German border.
French Infantry in fighting positions engaging German soldiers.
Following Plan XVII, the French First and Second Armies commanded by Generals Auguste Dubail and Édouard de Castelnau, and with over half a million men between them moved quickly over into the attack, only needing three days before beginning their advance, aiming for the town of Mulhouse as their first objective. The VII Corps under General Louis Bonneu led the way for Dubail's First Army, engaging various German forces before it started on August 9th, though Bonneu had wished to delay as reports of a large concentration of German forces were received, but was quickly overruled by Joffre. Advancing from Belfort with the aims of moving on to Mulhouse and Colmar, Bonneu made good progress taking the border town of Alkirch fifteen kilometers south of Mulhouse with a bayonet charge, showing the French spirit was alive and well, only suffering around 100 killed.
The next day, against increasing German resistance Dubail's Army, was able to push into Mulhouse, taking the city after heavy resistance, many hailing it as a major victory and the first way towards reclaiming France's lost land and dignity. As the offensive continued the next day, the front expanded as several more Corps began embroiled in combat as the main force of Generaloberst Josias von Heeringen's German 7th Armee arrived from Strasbourg, launching immediate counterattacks, the French also suffered supply issues as the use of ammunition exceeded all expectations. Fighting was furious throughout the Tenth and by the end of it, Bonneu's Corps had given up Mulhouse and was falling back towards Belfort.
While Dubail's Army had been fighting around Mulhouse, General Édouard de Castelnau's Second Army began its own push north into Lorraine, fighting opposite them being Generaloberst Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria's German Sixth Armee, and composed of mostly men from Bavaria. Much like Dubail, Castelnau ordered his forces to press the attack, wishing to push back the Germans quickly and violently with their aim being the town of Morhange northeast of Nancy. Though the Germans were outnumbered by over one hundred thousand, the terrain upon which the French were advancing caused considerable issues a steady advance was made over the next three days as the weight of numbers carried the French forward pushing through the Vosges Mountains, though losses began to mount as lack of heavy artillery causes several attacks to in without adequate support, the famous French 75 Howitzer finding it self outranged, though its weight of fire still delivering deadly results.
While French forces were having mixed results in the south, the fortunes of Belgium and France hinged in the balance as German forces soon flooded across the frontiers of Belgium, having chosen to declare war on Belgium after their rejection of their "request" on August 6th, German forces crossing the border on the 7th. Before any meaningful advance could be taken by the Germans the strategic city of Liege had to be taken, its fortresses and defenses under command of Gérard Leman, having been reinforced by the Belgian 3rd Division, the 4th having been dispatched to guard the fortress of Numar further south. Belgian mobilization had been ordered on July 31st, King Albert acutely aware that his country was a major avenue of attack for either France or Germany and was determined to defend his homeland.
Belgian Soldiers assembled to defend Liege and Numar.
A full week allowed the Belgian Army to concentrate, the majority of their forces deployed along the Gete River, covering the national redoubt of Antwerp as calls went out for immediate support from both France and England. As clashes began between Belgian and German forces, Germany's reinforced X Corps and titled the "Armee of the Meuse" under Otto von Emmich led the advance, while slowed down by heavy resistance and roadblocks, steady progress was made. The next nation to join the war was made by the British Empire, while with mixed views within their government, it was realized they could not sit back as Belgium's neutrality was violated, war being declared against Germany mid-day on the 7th with orders immediately issued for the British Expeditionary Force under General Sir John French to be sent to the continent post haste. The war had turned global as empires now engaged each other in global conflict.
On August 9th the first German forces reached the outer defenses of Liege, heavy artillery from the forts slowing down the advancement of German infantry. Confused fighting took place between both sides, much of it turning into hand-to-hand fighting as six German brigades, supported by heavy artillery and cavalry moved into the city. Lemon's forces defended each fort and the guard between with the utmost bravery, though shortcomings within the defenses, many undermined and unable to support each other, taken advantage of by German troops which saw several forts captured on both the 9th and the 10th, though the majority of the bridges across the Meuse were destroyed by the Belgian defenders, having had a full week to prepare for the eventuality.
While Leman's twenty-six thousand defenders (a mix between the garrison of 6,000 and the 3rd Division's 20,000) repelled many assaults and bought time for the rest of the Belgian Army and her allies, portions of the 3rd Division fell back on the 11th, as three more German Corps arrived to join the assault joined by massive 380mm and 420mm heavy siege guns. Smoke and flame could be seen for miles as Liege burned under heavy bombardment, combined with a new threat when the Zeppelin Z-VI from Cologne dropped bombs on the town in support of operations, killing nine civilians. The airship was driven off, but it was the first time that an airship had been used in a direct combat role in the history of warfare.
Liege wasn't the only target of the German onslaught while elements of Generaloberst Alexander von Kluck's First Armee moved against Liege, four other German Armies, the Second under Generaloberst Karl von Bülow, the Third under Generaloberst Max von Hausen, the Fourth under Generaloberst Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg, and lastly the Fifth under Crown Prince Wilhelm, marched swiftly into the Ardennes and Belgium. von Bülow had orders to move towards Namur and push across the Meuse in support of the First Armee. Belgian and German cavalry fought a series of clashes, the Belgians working to slow down the Germans as much as possible.
While German and Belgian Cavalry skirmished, the members of the Triple Entente stirred, the British rapidly ordering a concentration of scattered units across the United Isles to assemble into complete units as garrisons were emptied and deployed. A heated debate was also temporarily put on hold with the outbreak of war that brought the issue of Home Rule in Ireland to a halt, at least until a greater insight into how the war would shape up could be seen, allowing for several British formations to make their way towards France. It was well known the issue could not be ignored, in fact, many believed that had war not broken out, fighting in Ireland would surely have broken out almost any day now. It was an issue that England would have to tackle sooner than later...
On the French-Beligum Frontier, two more French Armies had been formed, the Third under Pierre Ruffey and the Fifth under Charles Lanrezac, both with orders to move into Belgium, both only after it was confirmed that Germany had attacked, making sure to not be seen as aggressors in any action. Because of this, it wasn't until August 9th that the majority of the French forces began moving across the frontiers, Beligum clearing them to help move in to help defend their country from invasion. The Germans made rapid progress, and even as Belgian cavalry worked to slow them down, elements of Generaloberst Max von Hausen's cavalry reached the Meuse River on the night of August 10th. A sharp skirmish took place just south of Dinant at Anseremme temporarily checking the German cavalry there, as French infantry rushed north as reports came in of a far larger concentration of German soldiers being reported than first expected.
Ruffey's French Third Army also moved into Belgium and quickly began to clash with German cavalry and soon infantry coming up from the German Fourth and Fifth Armies as the major of Belgian forces here were only border guards and militia forces. Ruffey's forward elements soon reported engagements taking place around Virton while Lanrezac's Fifth Army engaged elements of the German Fourth Army at Neufchâteau. Both sides had yet to bring up their full forces, but French aerial reconnaissance soon reported large concentrations of German forces moving in, whole more alarming were repetitive reports from the Belgians of "hundreds of thousands" crossing their northern frontier and surging towards the Meuse.
The greatest war in recent history was now unfolding across the fields of Europe, east and west, it was only the beginning as ships of the German and British Navies soon began leaving their ports for patrols, though no engagements had been reported as darkness fell on August 12th. Millions were now engaged in combat or soon would be as plans were enacted, strategies long acted out now being put into practice. A great many things were in flux as colonies and dominions were called to rally to the colors, and while no fighting as yet had played out in Africa or elsewhere, it was certainly only a matter of time before fighting came there as well. One fact remained clear though, the Great War had come, as terrible as it might be.
The Serbian Campaign:
Battles Fought and their Results:
Battle of the Danube [Ongoing, Austrian attempts to cross beaten back]
Engagement at Šabac [Austrian Victory]
Engagement at Loznica [Austrian Victory]
Engagement at Lešnica [Austrian Victory]
Engagement along the Sava River [Ongoing, Serbian Advantage]
Engagement at Valjevo [Ongoing]
Important Events:
The Kingdom of Montenegro joins the war alongside Serbia.
Light blockade of Montenegroian ports in effect by Austrian Navy.
Both sides encounter supply issues, and ammunition is a major consideration.
Austrians suffering heavily from a lack of railways and infrastructure.
