The Year 1914

On 28 July, at Bucharest, Romanian King Carol informed the Austria-Hungarian Ambassador that Romania's neutrality was determined by that of Italy. Bulgaria announced its neutrality. The British Fleet was ordered to sail to its war stations.

On 29 July, Austro-Hungarian monitors on Danube River began shelling Belgrade. The Serbians prevented the enemy from crossing the river between Belgrade and Gradishte.

The Serbian National Army, led by Chief of Staff Voyvoda (Field Marshall) Radomir Putnik, had twelve divisions, about 400,000 men, including reserves. Serbia faced severe shortages of artillery, shells and rifles, with only four machine guns per regiment. Facing them along the Drina River were the Austro-Hungarian 5th and 6th Army, each with two Army Corps.

On 29 July, Russia mobilized its forces on the Austro-Hungarian frontier. When Germany heard the news they informed Russia that her partial mobilization must be followed by war with Germany. Russia finally decided on general mobilization. Great Britain pressed the Germans to accept mediation, but warned she could not stand aside in all circumstances.

The Russian government approved the “Statute on the Field Administration of the Army in Wartime,” which made the military command superior to the civil authorities in a broad zone behind the front line. This zone included the capital of St. Petersburg, and was to move with the front line. Those drafting the law assumed that Nicholas II would be the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and foresaw no problems of civil-military coordination and cooperation.

On 29 July, French President Poincare and his party finally arrived at Dunkirk. The French Ambassador in St. Petersburg again assured Russia of support.

On 30 July, despite a resumption of Russo-Austrian talks, Tsar Nicholas was convinced to order general mobilization at 1800 hours. Russia's attempt to entice Romania to enter the conflict with promises of Transylvania is blocked by pro-German King Carol of Romania. On 31 July, at about 1145 hours, Berlin received a formal telegram from the German Embassy in St. Petersburg that Russia's general mobilization had in fact been ordered. At 1300 hours, Berlin formally proclaimed a “State of Imminent Danger of War" which prepared the way for general mobilization.

The Year 1914

On 31 July, the German Ambassador to Greece, Count Bassewitz, delivered a note to Greek King Constantine in Athens, suggesting that Greece side with the Triple Alliance. Two days later Constantine informed the Kaiser that Greece would remain neutral. The Kaiser was furious.

Russia proclaimed mobilization of all its forces, and sent an ultimatum to Austria-Hungary. The German Ambassador at St. Petersburg, General von Chelius, handed an ultimatum to Russia that she cancel her mobilization within twelve hours. Kaiser Wilhelm proclaimed a state of siege. German Chief of the General Staff, Field Marshall Helmuth von Moltke, 66 years of age and in ill health, was informed that Russia has closed its East Prussian frontier. Agents confirmed seeing Russian posters announcing general mobilization.

Germany asked France to declare within 18 hours whether or not she would remain neutral. France immediately refused and proceeded with her mobilization. Belgium ordered general mobilization. German Chancellor, Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg, sent a telegram to Ambassador Wangenheim in Constantinople that Berlin agreed to the Turkish alliance conditions, and instructed him to sign the alliance as soon as possible. Bethmann-Hollweg was informed by the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister that she agreed to all conditions of the treaty with Turkey.

In Berlin, U.S. Ambassador James W. Gerard, at the urging of French Ambassador Jules Cambon and Belgian Minister Baron Beyens, wrote to Bethmann-Hollweg, appealing for peace, but received no reply. Britain asked both France and Germany to respect Belgian neutrality. The French quickly agreed. There was no reply from the Germans.

German Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg telegraphed Count Berchtold in Vienna, urging Austria-Hungary not to mobilize against Russia. At the same time General von Moltke sent a wire to General von Hoetzendorf to mobilize immediately. The Chief of the Russian Military Mission in Paris, Count Ignatiev, telegraphed St. Petersburg that the French War Minister "seriously suggests that Russia invade Germany and advance on Berlin.” In the United States of America, the New York Stock Exchange closed, causing much dismay in international financial circles. It was known as Black Friday.

On 31 July, in the Baltic Sea, Russian minelayers began a month long operation, laying over 3,200 mines to hinder an expected German naval move into the Gulf of Finland.

At the beginning of 1914, Russia's comparative handful of mobile heavy guns had a reserve of only one thousand shells each, while Germany had stockpiled over three times that number.

The Year 1914

The thinking in the Russian General Staff and War Ministry was still dominated by the retreat theory, with major fortresses at Osovets, Grodno, Kovno, Ivangorod, and Novogeorgievsk, each with very large shell reserves for their fixed guns. State factories presently produced only one fifth of Russia's shell needs.

As late as the spring of 1914, a bitter dispute raged at the War Ministry in St. Petersburg over whether the French firm of Creusot or the German Krupp armament works should receive the Russian army's order for new field guns. Even after almost a year of fighting in August 1915, Russia still traded with Germany to the amount of almost a million rubles a month.

In early 1914, European Russia had only two thirds of a mile of railroad track for each one hundred square versts (1 verst = 1.067 km) of territory, while Germany had more than ten times that amount of track. Russia's transportation system and roads were in poor condition and sadly deficient to supply needs as they grew, which was to have a devastating effect on wartime operations. In the border regions railways were especially sparse.

In early 1914, Russia had about 11,000 motor vehicles, of which 2,000 were lorries. The Russian Amy had only 420 motorized transport vehicles (including two ambulances) and 259 passenger cars. At the outset of war in East Prussia, General Samsonov's 2nd Army had only four decrepit motorcycles, and ten autos and transport vehicles.

According to generally reliable sources, the air services of the major belligerents who fought on the Russian Front were as follows on the eve of war. The Russian Military Air Fleet had about 244 aircraft, many already worn, in 30 aviaotryadiy (AOs) (aviation detachments) and eight fortress aviation detachments. There were 213 pilots, and 14 airships, only four of which were fit for wartime service.

The German air service had about 230 aircraft, in 33 Feldflieger Abteilung (FFAs) (flying sections) with six aircraft each, ten fortress detachments of four aircraft each, plus nine airships, and 20 aircraft in the naval service.

Austria-Hungary had 13 Flieger Kompagnie (Fliks) (flying companies), with a total of 48 operational aircraft, 85 pilots and observers, and ten balloons, plus five operational aircraft in naval sections.

Aviation was still in its infancy, its potential was not yet fully understood or appreciated by skeptical military commanders, at headquarters or in the field. Many of them held the opinion that cavalry was still the primary means of reconnaissance.