Abstract
submitted study presents and analyzes the development in the international scene in last weeks before outbreak of World War I. The primary attention is focused on the steps of Austria-Hungary, whose position was markedly weakened due to the Balkan Wars and antiAustrian activities of Russia. The author focuses noticeably on assessment of the relations of the Habsburg Monarchy to the allied Germany in context with negotiations of military representatives, the famous Kaiser Wilhelm II’s visit to Konopistě in mid-June 1914 and at diplomatic level. Considerable attention is paid to so called Matscheko’s memorandum, a document that analyzed in great detail the international position and the outlooks of the Habsburg Monarchy. The study, of course, evaluates the circumstances and the significance of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand d’Este, Successor to the throne, including the reactions in Europe and in Austria-Hungary. Adequate attention is paid also to the effect of the main factors that influenced the decision of individual great powers to enter the war. 89 Joachim REMAK, 1914 – The Third Balkan War. Origins Reconsidered, in: Journal of Modern History, 43, 1971, 3, 358–359. 138 On the edge of the precipice of war Ales , Sr.
Highlights
The old ruler expressed the belief that “the assassination committed on my poor nephew is direct consequence of campaigning of Russian and Serbian Panslavs whose only goal consists in weakening the Central Powers and destroying my empire... it is a well organized conspiracy with connecting lines leading to Belgrade;”[46] he admitted that alliance with Romania was ineffective and that Austria-Hungary wished to “eliminate Serbia from the position of a power factor in the Balkans.”[47]. The end of the memorandum was conceived in similar spirit: “AustriaHungary was not missing good will and obligingness to achieve a supportable relation to Serbia
Potential fast intervention of Austria-Hungary established some, by far not certain assumption that the war would take place only as local conflict, without intervention of Russia and without general conflagration. The opponents to such assumption submitted not less compelling and logical counter-arguments – the defeat of isolated Serbia would constitute warning and lesson to other Balkan states; Petersburg would hardly go on considering constitution of their association against the Habsburg Monarchy; and danger gradual elimination of all Russian influence in the Balkans would arise
Ottokar Czernin, Austro-Hungarian envoy to Bucharest and Foreign Minister during World War I, mentions in his memoirs the statement made by the Kaiser when speaking to him in summer 1913: “Bucharest Peace is unsustainable; we are walking towards a new war
Summary
Franz CONRAD von HÖTZENDORF, Aus meiner Dienstzeit 1906–1918. Vol V, Wien 1925, 13–216; John Henry MAURER, Conrad von Hötzendorf and the Outbreak of the First World War. It is a well organized conspiracy with connecting lines leading to Belgrade;”[46] he admitted that alliance with Romania was ineffective and that Austria-Hungary wished to “eliminate Serbia from the position of a power factor in the Balkans.”[47] The end of the memorandum was conceived in similar spirit: “AustriaHungary was not missing good will and obligingness to achieve a supportable relation to Serbia It shows that the effort was completely in vain and that the Monarchy will have to expect stubborn, implacable and aggressive hostility of Serbia in the future.”[48] When, on 5 July, Ambassador Szögyény handed over the letter of his ruler and the memorandum brought by Hoyos, Wilhelm II initially expressed very careful statements, declaring that “he has to consider serious European complications, so that he cannot give any final answer before consulting the Chancellor.”[49] probably led by effort to placate his guest, he told Szögyény that the Habsburg Monarchy can count with German support in the last resort, because he “does not doubt in absolute that Mr von Bethmann Hollweg will agree to his opinion.”[50] Further, the Kaiser expressed the opinion that “this action
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