July Crisis

The July Crisis was the diplomatic and military escalation triggered by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on 28 June 1914, culminating in the outbreak of World War I.

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand: The killing of Austro-Hungarian heir Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914. The assassination gave Austria-Hungary the immediate pretext for confronting Serbia.
Bosnian Crisis: The 1908–1909 international dispute caused by Austria-Hungary’s annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It deepened Serbian hostility toward Austria-Hungary and exposed Russia’s earlier inability to intervene.
Gavrilo Princip: A Bosnian Serb nationalist who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Sophie in Sarajevo. His act initiated the chain of events that became the July Crisis.
Austro-Hungarian Declaration of War on Serbia: Austria-Hungary’s declaration of war on Serbia on 28 July 1914. It began the war and prompted Russian military measures in defense of Serbia.
Blank Cheque: Germany’s assurance in July 1914 that it would support Austria-Hungary, even in a war with Russia. German backing emboldened Vienna to issue demands it expected Serbia might reject.
Balkan Wars: Two wars fought in the Balkans in 1912 and 1913 over Ottoman territory and regional power. Their unsettled aftermath intensified tensions between Serbia and Austria-Hungary.
Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf: The chief of the Austro-Hungarian General Staff from 1906 to 1917. He repeatedly urged military action against Serbia and pressed for a forceful response.
German Declaration of War on Russia: Germany’s declaration of war on Russia on 1 August 1914. It followed Russian mobilization and made the conflict between the empires open.
July Ultimatum: Austria-Hungary’s ten-point ultimatum to Serbia, delivered on 23 July 1914. Its demands were designed to limit Serbian sovereignty and provoke a decisive response.
Pan-Serbism: A political movement seeking to unite South Slavs, especially Serbs, in a common national state. Austro-Hungarian leaders saw Serbian nationalism as a threat to the empire’s South Slav provinces.

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