Servia's reply to the demand of Austria, which was dated July 25, 1914,
not being deemed satisfactory, Austria proceeded to a punitive
expedition against Servia, and she repeatedly asserted and assured all
the other powers that the expedition was merely punitive and that
neither the independence nor the territorial integrity of Servia were at
all involved or in any danger.
But all this had no effect upon Russia. In fact, when Russia was first
informed of the Austrian demand (Annex 4, German "White Book") Minister
of Foreign Affairs Sazonof made wild complaints on _July_ 24, 1914,
against Austria-Hungary. What he said most definitely was this:
_That Russia could not possibly permit the Servian-Austrian
dispute to be confined to the parties concerned._
This was the keynote of the Russian situation and of the Russian
intention. Russia wanted, of course, to expand its realm as far
westward as possible, and it wanted to take advantage of the opportunity
offered by the necessary consequences of the dreadful insult and cruelty
practiced by Servia on Austria, not only to prevent the punishment of
Servia, but also to proceed against Germany, for, as Paper 4 says:
"Russia could not possibly permit the Servian-Austrian dispute to be
_confined_ to the parties concerned.
Pages:
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430