Germany issues ultimatums to Russia and France

The July crisis puts Europe on a path to war

The interference of Kaiser William II in German foreign policy put the nation in an increasingly dangerous situation. A new alliance between France and Russia meant that in the event of war, Bismarck’s nightmare would become reality: a two-front war that Germany could only lose. This outcome was made even more likely once Great Britain joined the anti-German alliance. But Germany had a plan: make sure that it would be able to take on each of its opponents one at a time. Named after Alfred Schlieffen, the one-time Chief of the Imperial General Staff who had devised it, the Schlieffen plan foresaw Germany fighting a holding action in Russia whilst its armies administered a knock-out blow to the French. Only then would the trains take the German army to the East, where Russia needed a lot of time to mobilize.

Although Germany was allied with Austria-Hungary, this added little to the military balance of power; Germany knew it was on its own. Needing to keep its only ally afloat, Germany issued the Habsburg Monarchy with a blank cheque to do whatever it felt necessary in order to maintain prestige after the assassination of its Crown Prince Franz Ferdinand and his wife by Serbian nationalists in June 1914. Although the Serbian government denied any involvement in the murder, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Then came the chain reaction. Russia backed Serbia and ordered mobilization, which threatened to bring in France. The impending conflict could no longer be limited to a regional war, and Germany saw the need to move quickly. The Schlieffen Plan could fail if it were launched late, so Berlin issued ultimatums to both Russia and France on 31 July 1914. The war that broke out the following day developed into one of the most destructive in history: the First World War.