by Richard van Pelt, WWI Correspondent

The headlines dramatized that war was imminent.

SERVIA’S REPLY IS UNSATISFACTORY
BOTH SIDE PREPARING FOR WAR
Austria No Doubt Believes Russia in Such Condition With Strikes at Home That She Can
Not Go to Servia’s Assistance – For This Reason She Sees Her Chance to Strike a Blow
The Will Serve to Intimidate Her Own Slav Population
DECLARATION OF WAR EXPECTED ANY MINUTE – SERVIA MOBILIZES TROOPS
Just What Servia’s Answer Contained Is Not Known, But It Was Not Satisfactory to Austria Which Acted Promptly on Its Ultimatum, Withdrawing Her Minister at the Hour
Specified – All Europe May Be Drawn Into the Row in a Short Time

The Serbian government’s response was conciliatory and almost humiliating, but was rejected by the Austrians. The Serbian government accepted all of Austrian ultimatum except one provision, the sixth in the ultimatum, a demand “to institute a judicial inquiry against every participant in the conspiracy of the twenty-eighth of June who may be found in Serbian territory; the organs of the Imperial and Royal Government (e.g. Austria) delegated for this purpose will take part in the proceedings held for this purpose.”

The Austrians rejected the provision in the Serbian response that stated: “The

[Serbian] Government considers it its duty as a matter of course to begin an investigation against all those persons who have participated in the outrage of June 28th and who are in its territory.   As far as the cooperation in this investigation of specially delegated officials of the [Austro-Hungarian] Government is concerned, this cannot be accepted, as this is a violation of the constitution and of criminal procedure.”

The Journal editor warned of the “Destructiveness of War”:

A warning to the world as to the destructiveness of modern weapons of warfare is furnished by the report of the International Commission to investigate the Balkan atrocities.

There were about 1,500,000 men in the armies of all the nations engaged in the two Balkan wars, and of these one-third, or about 500,000 men, were killed or wounded, although both wars included in the space of a single year.

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When they rushed so hastily into these wars the nations involved did not realize the vast advance in the destructiveness which the last few years have added to the weapons of warfare.

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Napoleon’s dictum that victory is on the side of the heaviest battalions is no longer true.

Behind the headlines, diplomats, foreign ministries and ministries of war scrambled to contain the conflict bearing down upon them.

From London, the German Ambassador Lichnowsky forcefully warns that Britain will turn hostile unless Germany agrees to help mediate the crisis.

In Greece, responding to Serbian requests for aid, the Greek prime ministers warns Germany that if Bulgaria attacks Serbia, Greece will aid Serbia.

Growing Russian anger at Austria prompts the Russian Imperial Council to decree a ‘Period Preparatory to War.’Russia officially expresses “the greatest anxiety”and warns that it “cannot remain indifferent”to Austrian threats against Serbia.

Germany, seeking to neutralize Britain, France, and Russia, proposes that Austria extend its deliberately short deadline, while secretly urging that it quickly attack Serbia.

Austria rejects an urgent Russian request to extend the deadline for the ultimatum to Serbia.

Russian support emboldens Serbia.

The Kaiser orders the German High Seas Fleet to return to home waters.

Serbia orders mobilization . At the last minute, Serbia responds to the Austrian ultimatum – The Austrian Ambassador in Belgrade quickly rejects it and Austria breaks relations with Serbia, and its diplomatic staff departs Belgrade. the Serbian government and the foreign embassies leave Belgrade for Nish as Belgrade lay within artillery range of Austrian guns.

The British Ambassador cables London to advise that Russia “will face all the risks of war”to prevent Austria from crushing Serbia.

Crowds in Austria and Germany celebrate the break with Serbia. The British Ambassador reports from Austria that “War is thought to be imminent .. Wildest enthusiasm prevails in Vienna.”

Austria-Hungary begins a partial Austrian mobilization against Serbia, to begin July 28th.

Russian troops are ordered to report to their standing quarters and Russian military cadets are promoted to officer rank.

From Berlin, Ambassador Jules Cambon advises that France to quietly begin making military preparations.