Monthly Archives: July 2014
Sir Edward Grey and British Neutrality: 31 July 1914
On 31 July 1914, Sir Edward Grey, the British Foreign Secretary, considered British neutrality in the face of a European war between the Great Powers. British Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey to British Ambassador to France Sir Francis Bertie. London, 31 July 1914. Sir, M. Cambon [the French Ambassador to Berlin] referred today to […]
Sazonov’s Response to Germany: 30 July 1914
The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Sazonov, responds to a German plea to localise the conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia should the Dual Monarchy respect Serbia’s territorial integrity. Sazanov to Russian ambassadors in Berlin, Vienna, Paris, London and Rome. St. Petersburg, 30 July 1914. The German Ambassador, who has just left me, has asked whether […]
Kaiser Wilhelm’s Telegram to Tsar Nicholas: 29 July 1914
On 29 July 1914, Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany sent a telegram to Tsar Nicholas of Russia. Between the end of July and the beginning of August, the two monarchs exchanged telegrams in English in what became known as the Willy-Nicky telegrams. Kaiser Wilhelm to Tsar Nicholas. Berlin, 29 July 1914, 6:30 P.M. I received your […]
War Begins: 28 July 1914
100 years ago today, Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary issued a declaration to his people. The Emperor, seeing Serbian aggression as intolerable, chose war. On 28 July 1914 Austria-Hungary found itself in a state of war against Serbia. The First World War had begun. “To my people!” Emperor Franz Joseph’s declaration of war. Bad Ischl, 28 […]
Sir Edward Grey’s Proposal: 27 July 1914
On 27 July, Sir Edward Grey, the British Foreign Secretary, detailed his proposal to prevent the escalation of the crisis between Serbia and Austria-Hungary to the Russian Ambassador in London. Russian Ambassador to the United Kindgom to Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs. London, 27 July 1914. Grey has just informed the German Ambassador, who came to […]
