July 31

Signatures on the Treaty of London (1839)

Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia, confident that Germany will support her.

Germany prepares to declare war on Russia, but asks France to declare it would remain neutral in the event of a war between Germany and Russia. Bound by her treaty with Russia, France refuses and prepares to mobilise.

Britain asks France and Germany to respect Belgian neutrality, which is protected by the Treaty of London, signed in 1839 by the Great Powers. France pledges to do so; Germany makes no reply.

In his memoirs, Sir Edward Grey describes this action as taking "a diplomatic step that contemplated the contingency of war." He went on, "The step now taken in London was in close accord with the attitude of Mr Gladstone's Government in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. On that occasion both France and Germany agreed to respect Belgian neutrality. This time France agreed, Germany evaded the request for an assurance."

Sir Edward Grey

Grey reflected, "It seemed to me that Germany had precipitated war. My reading of the situation at the time was that Austria had gone recklessly ahead against Serbia, believing that the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina would be repeated; that she could humiliate Serbia and that Russia would, as in 1909, recoil before the "shining armour" of Germany and that there would be no great war. When Austria found that the parallel of 1909 was not to be repeated and that things were serious, she began to try to get out of it. Germany then precipitated war and told Austria that, as an Ally, she could not get out. ... no Great Power could submit to a second humiliation such as ... Russia had suffered in 1909. It was precisely because Russia had recoiled in 1909 that she was sure not to abdicate her Slav role now."