30) Treaty of London (ends First Balkan War) (June 29) Second Balkan War breaks out (August 7) French Army bill (3-year service) ratified (August 10) Treaty of Bucharest (ends Second Balkan War) (October/Nov) Zabern Affair in Germany (November 4) Nicholas II approves army's "Great Military Program" The Summer of 1914The March to WarJune 28. ASSASSINATION OF THE ARCHDUKE FRANCIS FERDINAND at Sarajevo. The assassin was Gavrilo Princip of the Serbian society The Black Hand, a terrorist organization. The Serbian gov-ernment was cognizant of the plot; the world generally was outraged. July 23. Austrian ultimatum to Belgrade (48 hours). July 28. AUSTRIA DECLARED WAR ON SERBIA. Belgrade was bom-barded the next day, though Austria was not ready for real operations until about August 12. The declaration of war was meant to create a fait accompli. July 29. The Russian tsar agreed to general mobilization. July 31. Germany proclaimed "state of threatening danger of war." Sent a 12-hour ultimatum to Russia demanding cessation of preparations on the German frontier. Germany refused a British request that the neutrality of Belgium be respected. Aug. 1. French & German mobilizations. GERMAN DECLARATION OF WAR ON RUSSIA. Aug. 2. The Germans began the invasion of Luxembourg Aug. 3. GERMANY DECLARED WAR ON FRANCE. Beginning of the invasion of Belgium. Italy declares their neutrality. Aug. 4. BRITAIN DECLARED WAR ON GERMANY. Aug. 5. First German troops cross the Belgium border. Aug. 6. AUSTRIA DECLARED WAR ON RUSSIA. StalemateThe Battle Plans Break DownGERMAN STRATEGY, based on the SCHLIEFFEN PLAN, pro-vided for the concentration of German forces on the French front, the pas-sage through Belgium, and a huge wheeling movement to encircle Paris. This plan called for relatively few forces on the eastern (Russian) front to delay the invaders until a decisive victory could be won in the west. FRENCH STRATEGY, called PLAN 17, ignored the danger of a great Germa...
