WPCC Breakfast and talk

ANZAC Day 2014

The Serbian Background

Kingdom of Serbia - 14th Century CE

Domination by Hapsburgs and Ottomans

Revolution in 1804

Independence in 1867

Recognised in 1878 – but without Bosnia

Assassination of Alexander 1 and Queen Draga, involving Dragutin

Alexander 1 and Queen

Draga of Serbia

Dragutin Dimitrijevic

Serbia grows

Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913

Continued agitation to reclaim Bosnia

Links between Serbian Intelligence and

revolutionary groups

This is questioned by some, and remains a

point of nationalist difference in the region.

The Black Hand Gang

To reunite the Serbian speakers of

Europe

Government and royal patronage

Built on the work of earlier organisations

The Assassination

28 June 1914

6 conspirators of the Black Hand Gang

Evidence that Military Intelligence involved

People and weapons smuggled from Serbia into Bosnia

Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir apparent to the Austrian throne, chosen as target

The first attempt

Assassins one and two did nothing

Assassin three threw his bomb but

missed

The second car was hit with around 20

injured

He took a cyanide pill and threw himself

into the river

The car with Franz Ferdinand sped on

The second attempt

Gavrilo Princip repositions himself

near Latin Bridge

Shoots both Franz Ferdinand and

Sophie

Arrested

Anti-Serb riots and pogroms break out in

Bosnia and Croatia

The immediate aftermath

Austro-Hungary took three weeks to act

Spent time ensuring Germany would support them in destroying Serbia 5th July: Germany provides blank cheque

7th July: AH Council decide war is best option

9th July: AH Foreign Minister Berchtold states AH will deliver ultimatum that cannot be fulfilled

13th July: AH investigators find no evidence Serbia was involved

21st July: Germany upset at timid AH, encourages action and discourages diplomacy

23rd July: Ultimatum issued

The Ultimatum1. Suppress any published dissent against Austro-

Hungary

2. To dissolve immediately any society that acts against

Austro-Hungary

3. To cease teaching anti-Austro-Hungarian material in

schools

4. To remove from the military and administration all as

determined by Austro-Hungary

5. To accept the collaboration in Serbia of agents of

Austro-Hungary in the suppression of the subversive

movements directed against Austro-Hungary

The Ultimatum

6. To take judicial proceedings against the accessories to the plot of 28 June who are on Serbian territory. Officers delegated by Austro-Hungary will take part in the investigations

7. To proceed without delay to the arrest of two named agents

8. To prevent the illicit traffic in arms and explosives across the frontier

9. To furnish explanations regarding the unjustifiable utterances of high Serbian officials who expressed themselves in terms of hostility towards Austro-Hungary

10. To notify Austro-Hungary without delay of the execution of these measures .

The world awakens

Western Europe tired of Balkan violence

France convinced situation not as bad

as in early 1900s

But knew it was no match for German army

Russia unsettled by socialist risings

Confident that it would outstrip Germany in a

few years

Allies with France for protection

England caught up with Ulster problems

German dismay

Newspapers decry wars of aggression

and ‘adolescent posturing’ by Austro-

Hungary

Street protests break out, swiftly put

down by police

Right wing newspapers describe

protestors as traitors, the elite are

unmoved

War

28th July: Austria declares war on Serbia

28th July: Russia begins mobilisation,

Germany complains and Russia halts

29th July: Austria bombards Belgrade

31st July: Russia and Germany mobilise

in force

1st August: Russia declares war on

Germany

The Tipping Point

Russia’s declaration against Germany

set in motion a series of linked events

Germany had estimated it would take

Russia 6 weeks to properly mobilise

This gave Germany 6 weeks to defeat

France or it would have to fight a two-

front war

The easiest, quickest way into France

was through Belgium

War

1st August: France begins mobilisation

3rd August: Germany declares war on

France

4th August: Germany invades Belgium

Britain allied via treaty to Belgium

Demanded German withdrawal

4th August: Britain declares war on

Germany. As a result, Australia is at war

A war with enemies

Austrian troops in Serbia

A rejection of guerrilla warfare

Numerous atrocities and mass killings

A war without enemies

The Christmas Truce of 1914

Cigars and food exchanged

Carols sung

Football played (though possibly not)

Battle of the Marne

Rapid advance of

Germans (Schlieffen

Plan) through Belgium

into France

Sept 1914

Halted German

advance

Last ‘mobile’ battle of the war

Hitler, The Courtyard of the Old Residency in Munich.