Great Britain declares War on Germany as deadline passes

GLOBAL WAR BEGINS IN EUROPE

Germany crosses the Belgian frontier at Gemmenich, 30 miles from Liege. The first casualty of World War I, as a truly global war, Antoine-Adolphe Fonck, falls. When the last causualty of the war, American Henry Gunther, is killed 1 minute before the end of the war, an estimated 9 million soldiers and 7 million civilians would die. Months after the war, a silent killer in the form of Spanish Influenza, would claim millions more.

At 11 pm in England, Midnight in Germany, the lack of a response from Germany prompted the following declaration of war by Great Britain on Germany:

“Owing to the summary rejection by the German Government of the request made by His Majesty’s Government for assurances that the neutrality of Belgium would be respected, His Majesty’s Ambassador in Berlin has received his passport, and His Majesty’s Government has declared to the German Government that a state of war exists between Great Britain and Germany as from 11 pm on August 4th.”

Other countries such as Italy, Romania, and the Ottoman Empire, would make decisions later on which side to back. Nevertheless, the world wouls never be the same. Unfortunately as many errors would be committed in the peace after the war, as during the war, to ensure that this would not be the War to end all Wars.

GAVRILO PRINCIP ENTERS BOSNIA ON ASSASSINATION MISSION

GAVRILO PRINCIP ENTERS BOSNIA ON ASSASSINATION MISSION

Gavrilo Princip, assassin of Franz Duke Ferdinand and another accomplice of the group of Bosnian Serbs that had lived in Belgrade, Serbia, entered into the Austria-Hungary territory that is present day Bosnia-Herzogovinia, on the evening of  June 1, 1914. Princip and others and the weapons to be used in the assignation attempt were smuggled from agent to agent from safehouse to0 safehouse under the safegaurd of the Narodna Odbrana, until on 3 June they arrived in Tuzla (about 75 miles from Sarajevo). 

Igor Sikorsky successfully tests Four Engine Bi-Plane

May 26, 1913

Igor Sikorsky successfully tested his four engine plane, the Russky Vityaz ( Русскій витязь), or Russian Knight. The test was performed on the 

PLAN XVII presented in France

France's General Joseph Joffre presented "Plan XVII" to the Supreme War Council, in what would become the basis for French military strategy during World War I in the event of an invasion by Germany.^[37] General Joffre's plan, approved by the War Ministry on May 2, assumed that the German Army would come across the German-French border, and failed to have any contingency for what Germany would do in 1914- Germany invading Belgium and then crossing Belgium's border with France.

Fall of Adrianople

From the New York Times on March 27, 1913

Many of the news reports of the days predict the forthcoming and inevitable general war because of the actions in the Balkans. There are many references in this article to the coming greater conflict.

THE FALL OF ADRIANOPLE

   The fall of Adrianople brings peace in the Balkans within sight. While it will tend to stiffen the necks of the Bulgarians, it will leave the control of the situation more definitely in the hands of the European Powers, with whom the Balkan Allies will now have directly to deal.

   The speech of Sir Edward grey in the House of Commons, with the equally firm and confident statement of the British Premier, shows the spirit in which the task will be met.

   The Balkan Allies may persist in the demand for the indemnity. It will hardly be conceded. For one reason, because there is no precedent for a defeated Government giving an indemnity and surrounding territory not yet conquered. And, for a second reason, because the holdings of the French and English and German banks in the Turkish debt would practically be wiped out by the addition of an indemnity.

With a settlement in the Balkans, general peace may be regarded as reasonably secure. The chief difficulty, of course, is the peculiar situation and the peculiar temper of the ruling class of Germany/ No doubt  it seems to be the German Government that the vital interests of the nation are gravely menaced by the changes of the past six months. There has grown up in the Balkans a serious military power the future afflictions of which it is impossible to predict. It is possible – some German publicists think it is certain – that this power will act with Russia, and that, with or without Greece, there will be formed a strong Slav alliance which will complete the circle of probably hostile nations with which Germany will have to fight for its very existence. Against such a combination the Triple Alliance would be weakened in Austria-Hungary by the large and more discontented Slav element in its population. It might be further weakened by the indifference of Italy, with its new empire on the south coast of the Mediterranean to defend, to the larger needs of the Alliance. In such a situation Germany would be left with far the heaviest burden on her own shoulders, with the Triple Entente arrayed against her and with her partners crippled, or worse. This is the reason for the desperate measures of preparation for war on which Germany is embarking.

   But reasoning of much the same sort was used a month ago as to the course of Russia and Austria. It was said that the interests of Austria were sp deeply involved in preventing the Balkan Allies, and especially Servia, from gaining a foothold on the Adriatic, that she would soon fight to gain that end, and that as soon as Austria took up arms Russia was bound to do the same. Nothing of the sort has happened. Servia has withdrawn her claims under the advice and even pressure of Russia. The two great Powers have halted on the very brink of a conflict that threatened a general war. It is not unreasonable to hope that Germany and Russia and Great Britain and France will find a means for a like understanding. And the nearer Europe gets to actual fighting the more likely it seems that an agreement of some workable sort will be reached.

Alfred von Kiderlen-Wächter dies in Germany

Herr von Kiderlen

From the New York Times of December 31, 1912: The death of the German Foreign Secretary isreported. He will be replaced with Gottlieb von Jagow, who would be the Foreign Secretary for the beginning of World War One.

"NEW BISMARCK" OF GERMANY DEAD

Alfred von Kiderlen-Waechter, Foreign Secretary, Dies Suddenly in His Stuttgart Home.

BERNSTORFF MAY SUCCEED

Ambassador to Washington Regarded in Berlin as Most Likely Candidate for the Post

Special Cable to the New York Times.

   Berlin, Dec. 30 - Alfred von Kiderlen-Waechter, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs since July 1910, who had been called "the new Bismarck," died at Stuttgart this morning as a result of heart failure after an illness of less than three days. He was 60 years of age.

Herr von Kinder, as he was commonly known in Germany, left Berlin on Christmas Eve to spend the holidays with his sister, Baroness von Gemmingen. He appeared his usual jovial self until Saturday, when signs of indisposition showed themselves, and he failed rapidly. The funeral will be held at Stuttgart on Thursday.

Herr von Kinderlen-Wächter, who ranked with the late Baron Marschall von Bieberstein as a shrewd diplomat, was the fourth Foreign Secretary in ten years and the second to die in the harness. His death is a great loss to the Government at this particular crisis in international politics, as he was accounted the greatest exppert on Near Eastern affairs in Germany. He was stationed for ten years at Bucharest and repeatedly served as deputy for von Bieberstein as Ambassador at Constantinople.

His last public utterance was a striking Anglophile speech in the Reichstag on Dec. 2 when he laid stress on "the gratifying intimacy" in Anglo-German relations in connection with the Balkan situation.

   Although he was the leading spirit in Germany's adventure at Agadir, in the Summer of 1911,  which had for its aim among other things the smashing of the entente cordiale, he was given numerous proofs in recent times of his cordial desire for an understanding with Great Britain. It ws a sonsummation which lay close to his heart, and he was devoting much energy to this plan at the time of his death.

   He did not stand among the apostles of limitless naval competition, and his point of view often brought him into conflict with Admiral von Tirpitz, the head of teh Admirialty, and other zealous advocates of a "forward" naval policy.

   Herr von Kinderlen-Wächter had steadily and rapidly grown in favor with the Kaiser of late. Owing to the inexperience of Herr von Bethmann-Hollweg, the imperial Chancellor, in foreign affairs, the direction of the relations of Germany with other countries had passed almost exclusively into the hands of the Foreign Secretary. He was in supreme charge of the policy of Germany in the crisis which arose from the Balkan war, and his voice and influence were consistently on the side of conciliation and peace.

   

   




  

The War Council of December 1912

The "War Council" of December 1912


 Disagreement remain over the importance of the War Council meeting of 1912, but it may support those beliefs that World War One was not instigated by the events of Sarajevo in June 1914, but  by the outcome of the Second Moroccan Crisis and the list of diplomatic miscalculations by Germany.


Attendees included Kaiser Wilhelm II, Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz (the Naval State Secretary), Admiral Georg Alexander von Müller (the Chief of the German Imperial Naval Cabinet), General von Moltke (the Army's Chief of Staff), Admiral August von Heeringen (the Chief of the Naval General Staff), and possibly the Chief of the German Imperial Military Cabinet General Moriz von Lyncker. The importance of this meeting can be seen in that the leaders of both the German Army and Navy attended. On the other hand, Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg and GeneralJosias von Heeringen, the Prussian Minister of War, were not invited

From an entry from the diary of Georg Alexander von Müller (December 8, 1912).

Sunday: summoned to the palace to see His Majesty at 11 o’clock along with Tirpitz, Heeringen (Vice Admiral), and General von Moltke. H.M. with a telegraphic report on the political situation sent by the ambassador in London, Prince Lichnowski. As Grey’s spokesman, Haldane informed Lichnowski that if we attack France, England will come to France’s aid, for England cannot tolerate a disturbance in the European balance of power. H.M. welcomed this message as providing the desired clarification for all those who have been lulled into a false sense of security by the recently friendly English press.

H.M. painted the following picture:

Austria must deal firmly with the Slavs living outside its borders (the Serbs) if it does not want to lose control over the Slavs under the Austrian monarchy. If Russia were to support the Serbs, which she is apparently already doing (Sassonow’s remark that Russia will go straight into Galicia if the Austrians march into Serbia), war would be inevitable for us. But there is hope that Bulgaria, Romania, and Albania—and perhaps even Turkey—will take our side. Bulgaria has already offered Turkey an alliance. We really went to great lengths to persuade the Turks. Recently, H.M. also tried to convince the crown prince of Romania, who stopped here on his way to Brussels, to come to an agreement with Bulgaria. If these powers ally themselves with Austria, it will free us up to throw our full weight behind a war against France. According to His Majesty, the fleet will naturally have to prepare for war against England. After Haldane’s statement, the possibility of a war against Russia alone—as discussed by the chief of the Admiralty in his last talk—will not be considered. So, immediate submarine warfare against English troop transports on the Schelde River or near Dunkirk, mine warfare up to the Thames. To Tirpitz: rapid construction of additional submarines, etc. A conference is recommended for all interested naval offices. Gen. v. Moltke: “I consider a war inevitable—the sooner, the better. But we should do a better job of gaining popular support for a war against Russia, in line with the Kaiser’s remarks.” H.M. confirmed this and asked the secretary of state to use the press to work toward this end. T. called attention to the fact that the navy would gladly see a major war delayed by one and a half years. Moltke said that even then the navy would not be ready, and the army’s situation would continue to worsen, since due to our limited financial resources our opponents are able to arm themselves more rapidly.

That was the end of the meeting. There were almost no results.

The chief of the general staff says: the sooner war comes, the better; however, he hasn’t concluded from this that we should give Russia or France, or even both, an ultimatum that would trigger a war for which they would carry the blame.

I wrote to the chancellor in the afternoon about influencing the press. 



Source: Entry from the diary of Georg Alexander von Müller (December 8, 1912). Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv, Freiburg [BArch N 159/4 Fol. 169-171].

Original German text reprinted in John C. G. Röhl, Kaiser, Hof und Staat: Wilhelm II. und die Deutsche Politik[Kaiser, Court and State: Wilhelm II and German Politics]. Munich, 1987, pp. 175-76.

Translation: Adam Blauhut