The July Crisis
History: KS3, topic 16.2.2
The July Crisis
Tensions peaked in July 1914 after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Declarations of war
- 28 July 1914: Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
- 30 July 1914: Russia began to mobilise its army (prepare troops for warfare) because it did not want to be humiliated after earlier events in the Balkans.
- The mobilisation was an inflexible process. This meant that once it had begun, it was very difficult to stop.
Germany enters the war
- 1 August 1914: Germany declared war on Russia.
- Germany wanted to support Austria-Hungary.
- The July Crisis started war in Eastern Europe, but not Western Europe.
Test yourself on The July Crisis
Countdown to War
When did Germany declare war on Russia?