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| July 28 |
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| AUSTRIA DECLARED WAR ON SERBIA. Belgrade was bombarded the next day, though Austria was not ready for real operations until about Aug. 12. The declaration of war was meant to create a fait accompli. Rupture of the Austro-Russian pourparlers. Germany urged the occupation of Belgrade as a pawn, to be followed by negotiations with Russia regarding the Serbian reply. This course was also favored by Grey, but was ignored by Berchtold. France renewed assurances of support to Russia. | 1 |
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| July 29 |
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| Bethmann, resisting pressure from Gen. Helmuth von Moltke, chief of staff, urged the resumption of Austro-Russian negotiations and began to bring pressure on Vienna. At the same time he made a bid for British neutrality: Germany was ready to promise not to take French territory in Europe, or Belgian territory, if Britain promised neutrality. This was rejected. | 2 |
| The Russian tsar yielded to pressure from Sazonov and the military men and agreed to general mobilization. The order was recalled, and mobilization against Austria alone decided on when the tsar received a telegram from Berlin telling of Emperor William's efforts to bring the Austrians into line. | 3 |
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| July 30 |
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| Austro-Russian conversations resumed. Due to technical difficulties the Russian government reversed its action of July 29 and decided for general mobilization, despite numerous German warnings. | 4 |
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| July 31 |
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| Germany proclaimed “state of threatening danger of war” and sent a 12-hour ultimatum to Russia, demanding cessation of preparations on the German frontier. | 5 |
| German inquiry in Paris as to what attitude France would take in a Russian-German conflict. | 6 |
| Germany refused a British request that the neutrality of Belgium be respected. | 7 |
| 5:00 P.M. Austria decreed general mobilization. | 8 |
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| Aug. 1 |
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| French reply to Germany: France would be guided by her own interests. | 9 |
| 3:55 P.M. French mobilization. | 10 |
| 4:00 P.M. German mobilization. Germany offered Britain a promise not to attack France if Britain would guarantee French neutrality. | 11 |
| 7:00 P.M. GERMAN DECLARATION OF WAR ON RUSSIA, no reply having been received to the German ultimatum. | 12 |
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| Aug. 2 |
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| The British cabinet, after many meetings and much disagreement regarding support of France, voted to give France assurances to protect the coast against German attack (the “moral obligation” arising from previous naval arrangements). | 13 |
| The Germans began the invasion of Luxembourg and submitted to Belgium a demand for permission to cross Belgian territory, in return for a promise to uphold Belgian integrity. This was rejected. | 14 |
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| Aug. 3 |
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| GERMANY DECLARED WAR ON FRANCE, on the flimsy pretext of frontier violations. In reality the German action was due to military considerations and to the conviction that France would come to Russia's support in any case. | 15 |
| Beginning of the invasion of Belgium. | 16 |
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| Aug. 4 |
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| BRITAIN DECLARED WAR ON GERMANY, the invasion of Belgium giving Grey a welcome argument in the cabinet and in Parliament. | 17 |
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| Aug. 6 |
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| AUSTRIA DECLARED WAR ON RUSSIA. WORLD WAR I. (See World War I, 1914–1918) | 18 |
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