On July 25, Tsar Nicholas II held a Privy Council meeting in Tsarskoe Selo. At this meeting, Nicholas II approved in principle the partial military mobilization of the previous day. Only four military districts and two navies were mobilized.
The decision of the fleet. But in fact, this military mobilization eventually covered the entire European part of Russia, including 6 military districts (not 4); Warsaw, Vilnius (Baltic Sea region), Kazan, Moscow, Kiev, Kazan
, Ossad.
Russia's pre-war preparation period is divided into several stages. In the first stage, reservists need to be recalled, naval ships return to port to prepare for combat, troops suspend their holidays, cavalry has to shoe their horses, spy suspects are arrested, and valuables are brought from the border
Regional transfer. The most important task is to deploy troops and weapons to border posts and provide combat orders to frontline troops. This measure only requires the Secretary of War to sign the order.
In the second stage, the scope of recalled reservists will be expanded. Then Russian ports will need to deploy mines, purchase more horses and vehicles to transport supplies, and the families of officers will also be moved from border areas to safe areas. Recruitment of narrow-gauge rolling stock (
That is, the European standard gauge (Russia uses 5-foot wide gauge), and Russia needs to implement press controls, which only require the signature of the Minister of War.
When Russia was carrying out secret military mobilization, the French government, as an ally, was of course fully aware of this. To this end, the French Ambassador to Russia Paleologue sent a telegram to the domestic Acting Foreign Minister Pienfanio Martin, describing Russia's response to the situation.
On this day, Dragish received a secret instruction from the French General Staff, requesting communication with Russia based on the principle that war in Europe is inevitable. Therefore, the head of the French government was still sailing on the sea, and the diplomatic and military liaison officers stationed in Russia had already entered the war.
status, they maintained contact with Paris during Russia's secret military mobilization.
At 3 pm on the 25th, the Serbian government ordered military mobilization against Austria-Hungary. Serbia began to transport central bank reserves and Ministry of Foreign Affairs documents to the inland. The capital garrison has entered field fortifications, and the munitions warehouse near Belgrade has also been moved. These
This was all seen by the Austro-Hungarian ambassador Gisl, who knew that Serbia would not agree to the ultimatum, and Austria-Hungary did not think that they would agree.
At 5:55, Serbian Prime Minister Pasic arrived at the Austro-Hungarian Embassy. Pasic handed the diplomatic note to Gisl and spoke in broken German. "We can only accept part of your requirements... For the remaining requirements, we
I can only hope in your noble character and noble character as an Austrian general." (This is the original words of history)
Gisl looked at the reply rudely and immediately made a judgment. Serbia's reply was not sincere. Serbia did not even make a public apology in this diplomatic note. He returned the document to Pasic, and then
He informed Serbia that since he had not received a response that met his requirements, he would leave Belgrade in the evening with all members of the Austro-Hungarian Embassy.
Guisier did not scare anyone, and his men quickly burned the diplomatic code book in a few minutes. Guisier, his wife and the entire diplomatic corps evacuated the embassy at 6:15 pm and headed to the train station.
On the way, he saw soldiers everywhere on the street, but the Serbian army did not detain him. He left Belgrade by train at 6:30, and at 6:45, Gisl and his party entered Austria-Hungary. American historian
Sidney Fahey said this set a record for the speed of severing diplomatic ties.
The Austro-Hungarian government received the news from Gisl at 7:45, and the military mobilization for the war also happened after Foreign Minister Berthold and War Minister Klobatin arrived at the palace to meet Franz Joseph. This
The old emperor agreed to carry out war mobilization, so at 9:23 the military mobilization order was signed by Crobatin, the Minister of War.
In fact, given the efficiency of the Austro-Hungarian government, according to the words of Chief of General Staff Konrad, "it won't start until the 28th."
Foreign Minister Berthold had discussed the military mobilization plan with him before. However, due to the summer harvest holiday (the Austro-Hungarian army gradually sent people back to collect grain in July), the head of the Austro-Hungarian army could not make the army advance in advance.
End of vacation (can see the chaos in the management of the Austro-Hungarian army).
Moreover, Austria-Hungary's military mobilization order is also aimed at two actual situations. Plan "B" is for the Balkans operation, and plan "R" is for the Russian operation. The two plans are actually mutually exclusive because the battlefields are in opposite directions. Now
It stands to reason that the "B" plan should be used to fight against Serbia, but if Russia mobilizes its military first, it will have to turn to the "R" plan, which will also cause confusion in the Austro-Hungarian army and will also increase the strength of the Austro-Hungarian army to attack Serbia.
shortage.
In Conrad's plan, it would take the second week, that is, August 12, for Austria-Hungary to be ready to invade Serbia. Now Foreign Minister Berthold could no longer wait. He believed that by that time, the Caesars would not be able to make preparations.
If the Serbian issue becomes localized, Russia will definitely intervene. In fact, Russia has already begun secret military mobilization, and his idea has failed.
As for Germany, which was the biggest supporter of Austria-Hungary, it was not until July 27 that the Kaiser, Chief of the General Staff General Moltke, and Navy Minister Tirpitz returned to Berlin. Prime Minister Holweg, who had returned two days earlier, expressed his displeasure to them.
Introducing the current dire situation in Austria-Hungary. Faced with the violent reaction from Russia caused by the Serbian issue, William II ordered the naval ships to return to the port of Kiel in order to cope with Russia's partial mobilization.
In fact, German intelligence personnel have discovered Russia's military mobilization. In Kiev, they saw an artillery division heading west. Intelligence personnel in Riga also reported that the local army began to lay mines outside the port. The most important thing is that the German garrison station
The consul in Warsaw sent back a telegram; all the troops were recalled from the training grounds, and a large number of infantry and cavalry were transported from Brest to Lublinko and Vele (townships near Warsaw), and hundreds of troops were transported throughout the night.
The trains were running back and forth on the road between Brest and Litowsk. These made the German government believe that Russia was not only mobilizing military forces against the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but was also targeting Germany.
At 11:10 a.m. on July 28, the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia. The diplomatic note declaring war stated that the Serbian government had not met the requirements of the note submitted by Austria-Hungary on July 23, 1914, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire could only declare war through its own
To protect rights and interests with force, force measures have to be taken.
This is also the fait accompli that Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister Berthold hopes to achieve, but he does not know that a European war that will last for four years has been ignited by him.
