When Wilhelm zu Wied, elected Prince of Albania since spring, leaves the country after muslim peasant rebels capture the capital of Durrës, the Principality of Albania completely collapses into anarchy. Kiautschou on the Shandong peninsula, German Samoa and German New Guinea are under either Japanese or British occupation. By the end of the year, all of the German colonial possessions in Asia and the Pacific i.e. Honoring the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, the Empire of Japan joins the war on the Allied side. The architects of these victories, Generaloberst von Hindenburg and Generalmajor Ludendorff, would go on to play key roles in the final German victory. However, at the Battles of Tannenberg and of the Masurian lakes two weeks later, the Germans win decisive victories and almost destroy the Russian First Army. Gumbinnen, Lötzen, Insterburg and many villages are pillaged and set aflame, with the local population subject to atrocities. The Russians launch an unexpected offensive deep into East Prussian, catching the Germans by surprise. The Royal Navy begins its naval blockade of Germany, leading to major food and material shortages later on. However, due to the 1839 Treaty of London guaranteeing Belgian neutrality, Great Britain intervenes and it brought onto the Allied side. Germany, keen on capturing Paris in order to knock France out of the war as fast as possible, executes the Schlieffen Plan by invading Belgium in an effort to bypass the Séré de Rivières fortification system along the German-French border. France enters the war two days later due to their alliance with Russia. With full German support, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, followed by Germany declaring war on Russia on August 1 st when the latter refuse to stop the mobilization of their army. Austria-Hungary sends an ultimatum to Serbia, the contents of which are deliberately made unacceptable to the Serbs, while the German chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg promises Austria a "blank cheque" of unconditional support in case of war with Serbia.Īfter a month of failed attempts to deescalate the crisis, the great powers of Europe break into open conflict, triggering a chain reaction of war declarations. While visiting Sarajevo on the 28 th of June, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie are assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip, a Black Hand agent with secret ties to the Serbian armed forces, triggering the July Crisis. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
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