On Tuesday, July 28, Austria-Hungary declared war on Servia. This
declaration of war, complicating forty-eight hours after the situation
brought about by the rupture of diplomatic relations, lent color to the
assumption that there had been a premeditated plan to make war, a
systematic programme for the subjugation of Servia.
Thus not only the independence of a brave nation became involved, but
also the balance of power in the Balkans, set forth in the Treaty of
Bucharest of 1913, and sanctioned by the moral adhesion of all the great
powers.
Notwithstanding, at the suggestion of the British Government, always
interested in the most steadfast manner in the maintenance of European
peace, the negotiations continued, or, to be more exact, the powers
constituting the Triple Entente tried to continue them.
To their common desire was due the proposition for quadruple action,
viz., by England, France, Germany, and Italy, with the object of
assuring to Austria all legitimate reparation and bringing about an
equitable arrangement of the difficulty. On Wednesday, the 29th, the
Russian Government, noting the persistent blocking of these attempts,
Austria's mobilization and her declaration of war, and fearing that
Servia would be crushed by military force, decided, as a preventive
measure, to mobilize her troops in four military zones, namely, only
those stationed along the Austro-Hungarian frontier.
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