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The First World War was an unprecedented catastrophe that shaped our modern world . Erik Sass is handle the events of the war exactly 100 yr after they happened . This is the 127th instalment in the serial .
5 March 2025: Germany Gives Austria-Hungary a “Blank Check”
The “ vacuous substantiation ” is an infamous instalment in the chronicle of the First World War ; the first truly fateful computer error made by Germany – a promise of categoric accompaniment for whatever military action Austria - Hungary might take to punish Serbia .
In the day following theassassinationof Archduke Franz Ferdinand , central officials in Viennadecidedthe time had come to smash Serbia , long a thorn in the side of the Dual Monarchy . But Austria - Hungary still needed an official promise of support from Germany . This was the background to the “ Hoyos Mission ” of July 4 - 5 , 1914 , when Foreign Minister Berchtold dispatched his chief of staff , Count Alexander von Hoyos ( above ) , to Berlin with a personal varsity letter from Franz Josef to Kaiser Wilhelm II . The older emperor was unambiguous :
Franz Josef then proposed a young counterpoise of baron in the Balkans reconciling Bulgaria , Romania , Greece , and the Ottoman Empire – “ But this will not be potential unless Serbia which is at present the pivot of Pan - Slavist policy is do away with as a political factor in the Balkans . ” In other words , the Francis Scott Key to peace in the Balkans was the destruction of Serbia . An attached memorandum emphasized the Pan - Slav scourge to Germany :
The letter and memorandum let in nothing like a level - blank need for reinforcement – Austrian diplomacy was both too proud and too delicate for that – but they go away no doubtfulness that Austria - Hungary was asking for German backing in a very risky speculation that might involve war with Russia . The Austro - Magyar ambassador , Count Szőgyény , certainly made the postulation crystal exculpated when he lunched with Wilhelm on July 5 , while in a separate coming together Hoyos put the case to German undersecretary for foreign affair Arthur Zimmerman ( filling in for Foreign Secretary Jagow , on his Swiss honeymoon ) .
Over lunch , Wilhelm narrate Szőgyény he understand the need for “ severe measuring ” against Serbia , adding , “ he did not in the least doubtfulness that [ Chancellor ] Bethmann von Hollweg would solely agree with his own view ” in favor of war . The German attitude was confirmed by Zimmerman , who separate Hoyos that Germany “ view prompt interference against Serbia as the most radical and good root of our difficulty in the Balkans . ”
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That even , the Kaiser satisfy withBethmann - Hollweg , Zimmerman , and chief of the general staffHelmuth von Moltke , and informed them of his tentative hope of accompaniment to Szőgyény , which they of course approve . Around 10 p.m. on July 5 , Szőgyény wire Berchtold in Vienna that they could count on Germany ’s “ full support , ” come what may , and the next Clarence Day Bethmann - Hollweg said Franz Josef could “ rest ensure that His Majesty will reliably stand by Austria - Hungary , as is required by the obligations of his coalition … ”
The Germans seemed unusually relaxed after the meetings on July 5 : no one think it necessary to call back Foreign Secretary Jagow from his honeymoon , and the next day the Kaiser leave for his yearly summer cruise aboard the royal yacht in the Norse fjord while the ailing Moltke take back to his own extended holiday – a “ spa curative ” in Karlsbad , Bohemia .
The Germans managed to convince themselves the Russians would n’t back up Serbia , but this proved to be wishful thinking . Indeed , the Russians were already beginning to express unease . On July 6 , Foreign MinisterSergei Sazonovwarned the Austro - Magyar charge d’affaires in St. Petersburg , Count Otto von Czernin , that it would be “ dangerous ” for Austria - Hungary to attempt to hound the Sarajevo confederacy back to Serbia , add that St. Petersburg would object to any undue demands on Belgrade . But Sazonov ’s warnings , like others to get along , were dismissed as “ four flush . ”
The “ vacuous check ” of July 5 was above all an human activity of neglectfulness by Germany , in part because it conk out to address authoritative details like the timing of all subsequent moves . Berlin expect Vienna to take swift action against Serbia while the Sarajevo slaying were still unfermented , deliver a sudden fait accompli to the Triple Entente and thus ( maybe ) lessen the chances of a wider warfare . What they obtain instead were the classic Austrian trait that always push back the efficient Prussians crazy : indecision , prevarication , and hold .
It started on July 6 , when chief of the general staff Conrad tardily announced that many of the Dual Monarchy ’s unit were away on summertime leave , including most of the Magyar troops , who were helping make for in the early harvest . This embarrassing turn of event – the first of many in computer memory for Austria - Hungary – meant mobilization could n’t be order until around July 25 at the other . And the longer they wait , the more clock time Russia , France , and Britain would have to confer and ferment out a coordinated response .
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