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Divided Europe, 1914 |
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FUEL FOR THE FIRE
Thus far, the war had been an entirely Balkan dispute involving Serbia and Austria-Hungary. It was transformed into a much bigger conflict by the alliances that had been forged between various European powers in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Austria-Hungary was allied to Germany and Italy through the Triple Alliance. Serbia had strong informal ties with its fellow Slav state Russia. Russia and France had formed an alliance during 1891 - 94 (allowing them to squeeze Germany in any two-front war), Britain and France had reached an Entente in 1904, and Britain and Russia signed this Entente in 1907. All these states became embroiled in military conflict in 1914. However, Italy did not enter the war until the following year, when it repudiated its former alliances and declared war on Austria-Hungary.
It was this system of interlocking alliances and Europe's subsequent division into two heavily armed camps that created the conditions for a major European conflict, rather than the aggressive territorial ambitions of any single state, such as Germany.
When Austria-Hungary was considering its options in the wake of Franz Ferdinand's assassination, it asked Germany if it could rely on its support in any ensuing conflict. This is the one area where Germany may be held accountable for starting the war.
Germany hoped, perhaps naïvely, that any conflict between Serbia and Austria-Hungary would remain minor and localised. Therefore, it agreed to honour its alliance with Austria-Hungary without asking what it planned to do or proposing any limitation on its ally's diplomatic response.
'The German government is of the opinion that we must decide what is to be done. Whatever we decide, we may always be certain that we will find Germany at our side, a faithful ally and friend of our monarchy.'
Imanuel Geiss (Ed.): Juli 1914 Die Europäische Krise und der Ausburch des Ersten Weltkriegs © 1964 Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, Munich.
This failure to propose any limitations on Austria-Hungary undoubtedly contributed to the latter's provocative ultimatum to Serbia and allowed the conflict to escalate. However, the charge here is at least partly of diplomatic negligence and incompetence rather than territorial aggression. It was summer, many experienced diplomats were on holiday - and Germany had no territorial ambitions in the Balkans.
When Serbia received Austria-Hungary's ultimatum on 23 July, it immediately asked Russia if it could rely on its support in any confrontation. Russia responded by calling up its reserves (26 July). This mobilisation of Russian troops was of great significance in transforming a potentially manageable dispute into an unstoppable crisis.
Russia and Germany shared a long history of ethnic hatred, and competed for power and influence in areas where their territories adjoined.
In 1914, Germany and Russia shared borders and competed for influence in the area covered by present-day Poland.
Germany feared tsarist Russia and believed that war with it was inevitable. In 1914, Russia was modernising her army following her defeat by Japan in the 1904-5 Russo-Japanese War. Germany's generals decided that, if war with Russia was inevitable, it was better to fight sooner rather than later.
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'In a few years, according to all expert opinion, Russia will be ready to strike. Then she will crush us with the numbers of her soldiers; then she will have built her Baltic fleet and strategic railways. Our side, meanwhile, will be growing steadily weaker.'
Imanuel Geiss (Ed.): Juli 1914 Die Europäische Krise und der Ausburch des Ersten Weltkriegs © 1964 Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, Munich. |
Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Sasonov |
Russia's mobilisation of its reserves had, as Sir Edward Grey had dreaded, helped to transform a local Balkan dispute into something much more terrible. Germany interpreted it as a de facto declaration of war and so declared war on Russia on 1 August. Two days later (3 August), Germany declared war on Russia's ally France, and a major European conflict was about to erupt.
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