The document outlines a series of events in 1914 that led major European powers to make decisions that ultimately resulted in World War 1. It presents hypothetical scenarios where different countries must choose their next actions. Their choices narrowed the options of other countries and escalated tensions, as protective alliances were invoked and military mobilizations began in response to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by Serbian nationalists. Within a month, Germany and Russia were at war, followed by France and eventually Britain due to Germany's invasion of neutral Belgium.

1. Decision Making: The July Crisis

2. Sometime in May 1914
An attack is planned
• Austria has a sizeable minority of Serbs who are treated badly
• Austria has restricted the import of goods from Serbia
• Since 1908, Austria has annexed Bosnia, which many in the Serb government feel
should be part of a Pan-Slavic nation
• Serbia has shown itself to be strong in the 1912-1913 Balkan Wars
To Serbia
What will you do?
1. Use military intelligence to assassinate a member of the royal family
2. Use bombs to attack the railway station in Vienna
3. Sabotage military bases in Bosnia

3. Sometime in June
Archduke Franz Ferdinand to Visit Sarajevo
• The heir to the Austrian throne has announced he will visit Sarajevo and the route has been
published in the newspapers.
• Austria has been conducting military exercises near the Serbian border.
• Only about 60 police are available for protection.
• He plans to visit on St Vitus’ Day – a holy day commemorating the 1389 Battle of Kosovo against
the Ottomans, at which the Sultan was assassinated in his tent by a Serb.
• The Serbian government has warned of a plot to attack him.
To Austria
What will you do?
1. Cancel the visit
2. Have the visit go ahead but change the timings, route and provide extra security
3. Have the visit go ahead as planned

4. 28 June 1914
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
▪ The heir to the Austrian throne is killed in Sarajevo.
▪ He was shot by a Serb terrorist, Gavrilo Princip.
To Germany:
Austria is asking you how she should react. What is your reply?
1. Take hard and prompt action against Serbia
2. Show restraint in your handling of Serbia – e.g. conference
3. Do whatever you like and we’ll back you up

5. 5 July
The "Blank Cheque"
• Kaiser William II of Germany promised to support Austria whatever line she
takes against Serbia.
To Austria:
What is your next move with regard to Serbia?
1. Military Action: attack immediately
2. Political Pressure: Issue a list of demands which you hope they will accept
3. Political Pressure: Issue a list of demands which you hope they will reject

6. 23 July
The Austrian ultimatum to Serbia
• Austria presented Serbia with a list of unreasonable demands and
gave her just 48 hours to reply.
To Serbia
What do you do?
1. Reject the demands outright
2. Accept most of them and try to negotiate further on the others
3. Accept them all

7. 28 July
Serbia tries to renegotiate the ultimatum
• Serbia agreed to all of the Austrian demands except one ( - allowing the
Austrian army into the country)
To Austria:
What do you do?
1. Accept Britain’s offer to chair an international conference to find a
solution to the problem
2. Declare war on Serbia and start bombing her capital city?
3. Accept Serbia’s response; she’s only rejected one point

8. 29 July
The Austrians declare war
• Austria rejected the Serbian reply and declared war.
• Austria began bombing Belgrade, the capital of Serbia
To Russia
What do you do?
1. Declare war on Austria immediately
2. Order your army to mobilise (prepare for war)
3. Urge Serbia to accept the ultimatum in full and surrender

9. 30 July
Russia ordered her army to mobilise (get ready for war)
against Austria.
• Germany was particularly alarmed, because this could lead to
the failure of the Schlieffen Plan
To Germany
What do you do?
1. Order Russia to halt her mobilisation immediately
2. Declare war on Russia
3. Activate the Schlieffen Plan

10. 31 July
The German ultimatum to Russia:
• Germany presented an ultimatum to Russia demanding she halt her
mobilisation within 12 hours.
To Russia
What do you do?
1. Ignore the request
2. Reject the request
3. Agree to the request

11. 1 August
Russia ignores the German ultimatum.
• Despite a series of telegrams between the Kaiser and the Tsar, Russia
refuses to demobilise because this would leave her vulnerable.
To Germany
What do you do?
1. Declare war on Russia
2. Mobilise your army to put pressure on Russia
3. Activate the Schlieffen Plan by attacking France via Belgium

12. 1 August
Germany declared war on Russia
• Aware that the success of the Schlieffen Plan depends on striking the
first blow, Germany declares war on Russia.
To France
What do you do?
1. Declare war on Germany
2. Mobilise your army to put pressure on Germany
3. Ask Germany to demobilise

13. 1 August
France ordered her army to mobilise (get ready for war)
against Germany
• Because France was an ally of Russia
To Germany
What do you do?
1. Declare war on France and invade Belgium
2. Declare war on France but don’t do anything more yet
3. Call upon France to demobilise: this argument has nothing to
do with her.

14. 3 August
Germany declared war on France and sent troops through
Belgium
• As per the Schlieffen Plan. Germany had asked Belgium to allow
her troops through but she refused.
To Britain
What do you do?
1. Declare war on Germany but do nothing more
2. Do nothing: we are not directly threatened
3. Declare war on Germany and start sending troops to France

15. 4 August
• Britain declared war on Germany for invading neutral
Belgium and started sending troops over to France
immediately
To Australia
What do you do?
1. Advise Britain that you won’t send any troops as it is a
European war far from Australia
2. Have a vote in parliament on whether to send troops
3. Send troops immediately