#9: 5 July 1914 - Drafting the Blank Cheque

#9: 5 July 1914 - Drafting the Blank Cheque

Among all the controversies of the July Crisis, perhaps few compare to Germany's decision to provide Austria-Hungary with a 'blank cheque' for whatever policy it intended to adopt towards Serbia. In fact, word from Berlin suggested that the German government was impatient, and wanted Austria to strike Serbia as soon as possible. But, did this represent a German desire to launch a world war? As we see in this episode, the truth is more nuanced, but no less shocking. Germany was not seeking world war, but to repair the damage done to its ally by destroying the incessant Serbian threat once and for all.


But how would Vienna do this? Would she annex Serbia, or parts of it? Would she reduce her sufficiently to reorientate Serbian policy away from irredentist expansion in Bosnia? What divisions manifested themselves in Austria even as she strove desperately to recoup her position? More importantly, in the event of war between Austria and Serbia, could Russia reasonably be expected to stand aside? Incredibly, the status of Russia was not given nearly enough attention, but this was a sign of things to come, as the Habsburg grievance machine rumbled steadily onwards...


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Episoder(744)

#44: 31 July 1914 I - Start Spreading the News

#44: 31 July 1914 I - Start Spreading the News

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27 Jan 202540min

#43: 30 July 1914 V - Britain on the Fence

#43: 30 July 1914 V - Britain on the Fence

The 30 July was a turning point for the British Cabinet. When the German Chancellor made his bid for British neutrality, yet refused to guarantee the independence of Belgium or to rule out annexations...

20 Jan 20251h 7min

#42: 30 July 1914 IV - Smash Your Telephone!

#42: 30 July 1914 IV - Smash Your Telephone!

The Russian decision to commence general mobilisation against Austria and Germany was made in the afternoon of 30 July, ultimately by the Tsar.It took 24 hours of intense pressure by several leading R...

13 Jan 202550min

#41: 30 July 1914 III - Immediate Danger of War

#41: 30 July 1914 III - Immediate Danger of War

Welcome to our first episode of 2025! We return to a pivotal moment in the crisis, when Germany experienced yet another 180 in policy.A day which began with a frantic German effort to pressure Austria...

6 Jan 202537min

#40: 30 July 1914 II - 'A Very Ticklish Thing'

#40: 30 July 1914 II - 'A Very Ticklish Thing'

As Thursday 30 July progressed, one thing seemed clear to the German Chancellor and Foreign Minister - Austria had to be stopped, before the crisis deteriorated any further.Use the code KAISER to get ...

16 Des 202438min

#39: 30 July 1914 I - Caught in the Net

#39: 30 July 1914 I - Caught in the Net

Use the code KAISER to get 40% off your first month of a $5 membership on Patreon - 50+ hours of exclusive content including the Age of Bismarck await!Not sure what to get your favourite history frien...

9 Des 202445min

#38: 29 July 1914 IV - Vienna Waits For You!

#38: 29 July 1914 IV - Vienna Waits For You!

Use the code WDF24 at checkout and get 50% off a $5 monthly membership on Patreon! This offer will expire soon!By the evening of 29 July, a new wave of panic was overcoming the German government. In B...

2 Des 202439min

#37: 29 July 1914 III - First Contact, Second Thoughts

#37: 29 July 1914 III - First Contact, Second Thoughts

Use the code WDF24 at checkout and get 50% off a $5 monthly membership on Patreon!Austria's bombardment of Belgrade represented the first shots of the First World War, though contemporaries could not ...

25 Nov 202439min

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