July 29th 1914
On July 29th, Austrians bombard Belgrade
in afternoon.
Unsuccessful Austrian attempt to cross Danube between Belgrade and
Gradishte (the first of 18 vain efforts prior to 12 August).
At home, the might of the
Royal Navy is a reassuring sight, still congregated in the Channel after the
Spithead review
Wilhelm sent a telegram to
Nicholas stating “I think a direct understanding between your government and
Vienna possible and desirable”. The Austrian General Staff sent a note to Jagow
complaining about his statement that he did not regard a Russian partial
mobilisation as a threat to Germany, and asked that Germany mobilise to deter
Russia from supporting Serbia.
In response to the Austrian message, Jagow told a Russian diplomat that
“Germany was likewise obliged to mobilise [in response to Russian partial
mobilisation]; there was therefore nothing left to be done and the diplomatists
must now leave the talking to the cannon.”]
At a meeting in Potsdam,
according to Admiral Tirpitz’s notes, Wilhelm “expressed himself without
reserve regarding Bethmann’s incompetence” in foreign affairs. Bethmann Hollweg
suggested that Germany sign a naval agreement with Britain limiting the size of
the High Seas Fleet to keep Britain out of the war. Admiral Tirpitz went on to
record: “The Kaiser informed the company that the Chancellor had proposed that
in order to keep England neutral, we should sacrifice the German fleet for an
agreement with England, which he, the Kaiser had refused.”
In order to ensure acceptance of
his peace plan, Grey proposed a “Stop in Belgrade” offer, in which Austria
would occupy Belgrade and go no further. Since this was the same proposal as
Wilhelm had made, Bethmann Hollweg regarded this as a particular threat as it
would have made it difficult for Germany to reject it. Bethmann Hollweg asked
that Austria at least make an effort to show some interest in the British peace
plan. In an effort to sabotage Bethmann Hollweg’s offer (which though not
sincere was regarded as dangerous in case it might succeed), Moltke asked
Vienna not to consider the British peace plan, and instead to order general
mobilisation and activate War Plan R, the Austrian war plan for a war against
Russia.
At a meeting with Bethmann
Hollweg late on July 29th, both Falkenhayn and Moltke again demanded that
Germany use Russian partial mobilisation as an excuse to go to war. Bethmann
Hollweg again insisted that Germany must wait for Russian general mobilisation
as it was the only way of ensuring that the German public and that Britain
would remain neutral in the “imminent war” against France and Russia. In order
to “make Russia appear the aggressor”, Moltke asked for Austrian mobilisation
against Russia so as to provide a casus foederis for Germany to arise”
and mobilise likewise. In the same message, Moltke expressed hope that the
British peace plan would fail, and announced his belief that the only way of
saving Austria-Hungary as a power was through a general European war. In the
evening, Moltke repeated his request, and promised again that “Germany will
mobilise” against Russia, were Austria to do the same. Count Szogyeny reported
to Vienna that the German government “...regarded the possibility of a European
conflict with the most complete calm”, and that the Germans were only concerned
about the possibility of Italy not honouring the Triple Alliance.
In a meeting in London, Grey
warned Prince Lichnowsky in veiled terms that if Germany attacked France, then
Britain would consider going to war with Germany. Grey repeated his “Stop in
Belgrade” peace plan, and strongly urged that Germany accept it. Grey ended his
meeting with the warning that “unless Austria is willing to enter upon a
discussion of the Serbian question a world war is inevitable. To support Grey’s
warnings, the British government ordered a general alert for its armed forces.
In Paris, Jean Jaures, the leader of the French Socialist Party and an
outspoken pacifist was assassinated by a right-wing fanatic. In St. Petersburg,
the French Ambassador Maurice Paleologue, upon learning belatedly on the night
of July 29th–30th of Russian partial mobilisation, protested against the
Russian move.
At another meeting with Goschen
late on the night of the 29th, Bethmann Hollweg stated that Germany would soon
be going to war against France and Russia, and sought to ensure British
neutrality by promising him that Germany would not annex parts of metropolitan
France (Bethmann Hollweg refused to make any promises about French colonies). During
the same meeting, Bethmann Hollweg all but announced that Germany would soon
violate Belgium’s neutrality, though Bethmann Hollweg said that, if Belgium did
not resist, Germany would not annex that kingdom.
The Goschen-Bethmann Hollweg
meeting did much to galvanize the British government into deciding to ally with
France and Russia. Sir Eyre Crowe commented that Germany had “made up her mind”
to go to war. Germany’s policy was to reveal to Britain her war aims in hope
that a statement might be reached that would ensure British neutrality.
Instead, Bethmann Hollweg’s move had the opposite effect, since it was now
clear to London that Germany had no interest in peace.
After Goschen left the meeting,
Bethmann Hollweg received a message from Prince Lichnowsky saying that Grey was
most anxious for a four power conference, but that if Germany attacked France,
then Britain would have no other choice but to intervene in the war. In
response to the British warning, Bethmann Hollweg suddenly changed course. As
he wrote to Prince Tschirschky: “If therefore, Austria should reject all
mediation, we are faced with a conflagration in which Britain would be against
us, Italy and Romania in all probability not with us. We should be two Powers
against Four. With Britain an enemy, the weight of the operations would fall on
Germany...Under these circumstances we must urgently and emphatically suggest
to the Vienna Cabinet acceptance of mediation under the present honorable
conditions. The responsibility falling on us and Austria for the consequences
which would ensure in case of refusal would be uncommonly heavy.” Five minutes
later, Bethmann Hollweg asked Vienna in a second message to stop “refusing any
exchange of views with Russia”, and warned that we “...must refuse to allow
Vienna to draw us into a world conflagration frivolously and without regard to
our advice.” In another message, Bethmann Hollweg wrote “To avert a general
catastrophe or in any case to put Russia in the wrong, we must urgently
wish Vienna to begin and continue conversations with Russia.” As the historian
Fritz Fischer noted, only when Bethmann Hollweg received a clear warning that
Britain would intervene in a war did he begin to apply pressure on Austria for
peace. Bethmann Hollweg’s advice was rejected by Austria as being too late.
Count Berchtold told the German Ambassador that he would need a few days to
think about the German offer, and until then, events would proceed.
The overall picture is
deeply gloomy. A 'war cloud' is gathering over Europe, with Russia now
appearing determined to act with Serbia
In Berlin, the feeling is
much the same, with Russia's moves to mobilise making it certain that Germany
will respond – and yet the Telegraph's correspondent detects that
Germany 'is really drifting into war against her will'
The effect of war is
already being felt on commodity markets. Wheat prices are rising, undoing hopes
of a good harvest leading to prices dropping
Information resourced from the
following sites:
http://www.firstworldwar.com/onthisday/1914_07_29.htm
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/richardpreston/100281719/ww1-6-days-to-go-the-austrians-bombard-belgrade-a-war-cloud-gathers-over-the-rest-of-europe/
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