why was austria's demand to serbia in 1914 unreasonable?

Austria had their crown prince assassinated and it seems pretty reasonable to have them participate in an independent investigation into the murderer and his associates in serbia.

Winston Churchill described those demands as "The most insolent document of its kind ever devised"

Considering how the United States reacted towards the afghans after 911, i thought what austria asked for seems mild in comparison.

Reply 1

UnclePete

13

Original post by HucktheForde

Austria had their crown prince assassinated and it seems pretty reasonable to have them participate in an independent investigation into the murderer and his associates in serbia.

Winston Churchill described those demands as "The most insolent document of its kind ever devised"

Considering how the United States reacted towards the afghans after 911, i thought what austria asked for seems mild in comparison.

I read somewhere that had Austria struck swiftly, and independently, at Serbia in the immeadiate aftermath of the asassination in June, it is arguably unlikely any of the great powers would have joined in or got involved. It could have been contained.
The Austrian Chief of Staff, Conrad von Hoetzendorf, had counselled for war against Serbia no fewer than twenty odd times in 1913 alone. With the Serbian assassination, he got what he wanted - and additionally with the blank cheque of support from the German Kaiser after the event -'The July Crisis' of July 6th, this helped him on his way and we all know what happened after that.
Up to then, diplomacy had defused many situations that could have easily led to a major international war : the stand off between Britain and France at Fashoda (1898), the Moroccan Crisis ( 1905 and 11) : The Zabern Affair (1913) : contained the Italian war in Libya (1911) and The Balkan Crisis (1913).

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 2

ageshallnot

21

Original post by HucktheForde

Austria had their crown prince assassinated and it seems pretty reasonable to have them participate in an independent investigation into the murderer and his associates in serbia.

Winston Churchill described those demands as "The most insolent document of its kind ever devised"

Considering how the United States reacted towards the afghans after 911, i thought what austria asked for seems mild in comparison.

The Austria-Hungarian demands amounted to a violation of Serbian integrity as an independent state. They were designed to be rejected because A-H wanted war.

Reply 3

HucktheForde

OP

20

Original post by ageshallnot

The Austria-Hungarian demands amounted to a violation of Serbian integrity as an independent state. They were designed to be rejected because A-H wanted war.

Why tho. It's just an investigation

Reply 4

ageshallnot

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Original post by HucktheForde

Why tho. It's just an investigation

Because they were imposing foreign investigators on another sovereign country without their agreement.

Reply 5

HucktheForde

OP

20

Original post by ageshallnot

Because they were imposing foreign investigators on another sovereign country without their agreement.

Well that's what austria is asking for, their agreement.

Plenty of similar request for investigations have been asked for. The investigation for nuclear weapons in Iran, chemical weapons in Syria, Wuhan lab by Australia . Why is Austria's demand for investigation wrong

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 6

ageshallnot

21

Original post by HucktheForde

Well that's what austria is asking for, their agreement.

Plenty of similar request for investigations have been asked for. The investigation for nuclear weapons in Iran, chemical weapons in Syria, Wuhan lab by Australia . Why is Austria's demand for investigation wrong

Define "wrong". Everyone in the diplomatic world at the time knew what the demand meant, the eclipse of another nation. Remember that these two countries were deadly rivals, only one of them could thrive.

Reply 7

HucktheForde

OP

20

Original post by ageshallnot

Define "wrong". Everyone in the diplomatic world at the time knew what the demand meant, the eclipse of another nation. Remember that these two countries were deadly rivals, only one of them could thrive.

wrong as in seen as a violation of Serbian integrity.

Reply 8

ageshallnot

21

Original post by HucktheForde

wrong as in seen as a violation of Serbian integrity.

Correct. Austria's demands amounted to a violation of sovereignty. So did the WMD investigations in Iraq, but that country agreed to them. Serbia tried to give the appearance of agreement but didn't do so 100% and war resulted. As it did in the end in Iraq.