On August 1, 1914, I sent the following telegram to Berchtold: 

“The Prime Minister has just notified me the result of the Cabinet Council.  After a warm appeal from the King to bring the treaty into force, the Cabinet Council, with one exception, declared that no party could undertake the responsibility of such action.

“The Cabinet Council has resolved that as Roumania was neither notified nor consulted concerning the Austro-Hungarian action in Belgrade no casus foederis exists.  The Cabinet Council further resolved that military preparations for the safety of the frontier be undertaken, which would be an advantage for the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, as several hundred miles of its frontiers would thereby be covered.

  “The Prime Minister added that he had already given orders to
  strengthen all military posts, after which by degrees general
  mobilisation would follow.

  “The Government intends only to publish a short communique
  relating to the military measures taken for the safety of the
  country.”

Secondly, it appears incomprehensible why the ultimatum was drawn up as it was.  It was not so much a manifestation of Berchtold’s wish for war, as of other influences, above all that of Tschirsky.  In 1870 Bismarck also desired war, but the Ems telegram was of quite a different character.

In the present case it appears incomprehensible why a Note should have been selected which by its wording gave umbrage to many who hitherto were favourably disposed towards us.

Had we, before the ultimatum and after the assassination, secretly and confidentially furnished proofs to the Great Powers who were not inimical to us, and especially to England, that trouble was impending over a political murder staged at Belgrade, we should have evoked a very different frame of mind in those Governments.  Instead, we flung the ultimatum at them and at the whole of Europe.

It was feared probably at the Ballplatz that any communication to the Powers would result in their intervention in the form of a new conference of ambassadors, and that stagnation would ensue.  But in the year 1914 the case was very different from former days—­before the ultimatum right was so undoubtedly on our side.

At all events, the Tschirsky group dreaded such an insipid solution, and had insisted, therefore, on drastic action.  In 1870 Bismarck was the attacking party, and he succeeded in interchanging the parts.  We also succeeded, but in an opposite sense.

4

Then came our greatest disaster:  the German entry into Belgium.