28 July 1914: To my people!

[Syt]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_my_people

The Imperial Rescript and Manifesto.

     Ischl, July 28.

     Dear Count Stürgkh:

     I have resolved to instruct the Ministers of my Household and
     Foreign Affairs to notify the Royal Serbian Government of the
     beginning of a state of war between the Monarchy and Serbia. In
     this fateful hour I feel the need of turning to my beloved peoples.
     I command you, therefore, to publish the inclosed manifesto.

MANIFESTO.

     To my peoples! It was my fervent wish to consecrate the years
     which, by the grace of God, still remain to me, to the works of
     peace and to protect my peoples from the heavy sacrifices and
     burdens of war. Providence, in its wisdom, has otherwise decreed.
     The intrigues of a malevolent opponent compel me, in the defense of
     the honor of my Monarchy, for the protection of its dignity and its
     position as a power, for the security of its possessions, to grasp
     the sword after long years of peace.

     With a quickly forgetful ingratitude, the Kingdom of Serbia, which,
     from the first beginnings of its independence as a State until
     quite recently, had been supported and assisted by my ancestors,
     has for years trodden the path of open hostility to
     Austria-Hungary. When, after three decades of fruitful work for
     peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I extended my Sovereign rights to
     those lands, my decree called forth in the Kingdom of Serbia, whose
     rights were in nowise injured, outbreaks of unrestrained passion
     and the bitterest hate. My Government at that time employed the
     handsome privileges of the stronger, and with extreme consideration
     and leniency only requested Serbia to reduce her army to a peace
     footing and to promise that, for the future, she would tread the
     path of peace and friendship. Guided by the same spirit of
     moderation, my Government, when Serbia, two years ago, was
     embroiled in a struggle with the Turkish Empire, restricted its
     action to the defense of the most serious and vital interests of
     the Monarchy. It was to this attitude that Serbia primarily owed
     the attainment of the objects of that war.

     The hope that the Serbian Kingdom would appreciate the patience and
     love of peace of my Government and would keep its word has not been
     fulfilled. The flame of its hatred for myself and my house has
     blazed always higher; the design to tear from us by force
     inseparable portions of Austria-Hungary has been made manifest with
     less and less disguise. A criminal propaganda has extended over the
     frontier with the object of destroying the foundations of State
     order in the southeastern part of the monarchy; of making
     the people, to whom I, in my paternal affection, extended my full
     confidence, waver in its loyalty to the ruling house and to the
     Fatherland; of leading astray its growing youth and inciting it to
     mischievous deeds of madness and high treason. A series of
     murderous attacks, an organized, carefully prepared, and well
     carried out conspiracy, whose fruitful success wounded me and my
     loyal peoples to the heart, forms a visible bloody track of those
     secret machinations which were operated and directed in Serbia.

     A halt must be called to these intolerable proceedings and an end
     must be put to the incessant provocations of Serbia. The honor and
     dignity of my monarchy must be preserved unimpaired, and its
     political, economic, and military development must be guarded from
     these continual shocks. In vain did my Government make a last
     attempt to accomplish this object by peaceful means and to induce
     Serbia, by means of a serious warning, to desist. Serbia has
     rejected the just and moderate demands of my Government and refused
     to conform to those obligations the fulfillment of which forms the
     natural and necessary foundation of peace in the life of peoples
     and States. I must therefore proceed by force of arms to secure
     those indispensable pledges which alone can insure tranquillity to
     my States within and lasting peace without.

     In this solemn hour I am fully conscious of the whole significance
     of my resolve and my responsibility before the Almighty. I have
     examined and weighed everything, and with a serene conscience I set
     out on the path to which my duty points. I trust in my peoples,
     who, throughout every storm, have always rallied in unity and
     loyalty around my throne, and have always been prepared for the
     severest sacrifices for the honor, the greatness, and the might of
     the Fatherland. I trust in Austria-Hungary's brave and devoted
     forces, and I trust in the Almighty to give the victory to my arms.

     FRANZ JOSEPH mppria

[Tamas]

WHAT COULD HAPPEN

[Syt]

I find it telling that in the whole declaration he keeps ranting about how his monarchy is insulted/under attack and that he therefore has to act - not even a token statement how it's "for the good of his peoples" or similar. His people only show up as loyal subjects surrounding his throne (like children, presumably).

Compare with Wilhelm II:

To THE GERMAN PEOPLE:

Since the founding of the empire, for forty-three years it has been the earnest aim of my ancestors and myself to maintain peace with the world and to further our powerful advance in peace. But our opponents envy us the fruit of our labors.

In the consciousness of our responsibility and our strength, we must endure overt and covert hostility from east and west and from across the sea. But now they wish to humble us. They demand that with folded arms we should watch our enemies prepare themselves for an underhand attack. They do not wish to allow us in loyal determination to stand by our ally, who is fighting for his position as a great power and with whose humiliation our own power and honor will also be lost.

So the sword must decide! The enemy surprises us while we are entirely at peace. Therefore, to arms! Any wavering, any hesitation would be treachery to the Fatherland. We must fight for the existence or non-existence of our empire, which our fathers lately founded for themselves; for the existence or non-existence of German power and German life. We shall fight to the last breath of man and horse, and we shall continue this conflict against a world of enemies. Germany has never yet been conquered as long as she was united.

Go forward with God, who will be with us as He was with our fathers.

(Signed) WILLIAM, I. R.

BERLIN, August 6, 1914.

Not to mention this excerpt from his August 1st balcony speech:

If we must have war, all parties cease. We are only German brothers. In times of peace this or that party has attacked me; I forgive them now with all my heart.

Then again, Austria-Hungary was, after Russia, the most autocratic-paternalistic European empire of its time.

[Tamas]

I have been (slowly) reading The Sleepwalkers. Makes it a bit more understandable that A-H thought they need to force issues with Serbia.

After the 2nd Balkan War, it was agreed between the powers that Albania would become and remain independent. The Serbs, however, just crapped at the general direction of this agreement, and were creeping into Albania and pissing the natives off. This kept continuing during increased Austrian and international pressure, all the while officially they were friendly, lenient, and total agreement with everyone. They only stopped earnest when A-H appeared ready to mobilise and get in (and Russia was embarrassed for Serbia so asked them to back down).

When you have shit like that happening, concluding that you need to wave your stick around to keep Serbia in check seems much more justified, then the "Serbs were like sitting there, and Austria came to bully them around" short version you hear everywhere.

[celedhring]

I find it telling that in the whole declaration he keeps ranting about how his monarchy is insulted/under attack and that he therefore has to act - not even a token statement how it's "for the good of his peoples" or similar. His people only show up as loyal subjects surrounding his throne (like children, presumably).

That's what shocked me the most, the fact he doesn't pay even the smallest lip service to the interests of the people when going to war. Heck, even if you don't give a shit that's nationalism 101 to get people on your side.

[grumbler]

That's what shocked me the most, the fact he doesn't pay even the smallest lip service to the interests of the people when going to war. Heck, even if you don't give a shit that's nationalism 101 to get people on your side.

Nationalism was the enemy as far as the throne was concerned.

[Tamas]

Yeah, there was nothing else to reference as a common point for all the nationalities, except loyalty to the crown. "serving our national interests" is not really a valid point when you have 4-5 major nationalities all at different levels of odds with each other.

[Syt]

It's true, but at the same time I can't help but think that a war against a common enemy would be a good opportunity to at least attempt to create an "us vs. them" feeling in his subjects.

[Tamas]

It's true, but at the same time I can't help but think that a war against a common enemy would be a good opportunity to at least attempt to create an "us vs. them" feeling in his subjects.

Yes. They did just that. The only basis for that is the crown. That is what kept the country together. The common king.

[Syt]

Yes, I get that.

But instead of saying that the realm is under attack and must band together to fight the enemy (like Wilhelm does), FJ is almost abstract in his explanations, and it's all about himself. Sure, he wasn't of the best of mind in his old age, but even so he must have been clear that not everyone in his countries would love him enough to die for him in battle.

[Tamas]

Yes, I get that.

But instead of saying that the realm is under attack and must band together to fight the enemy (like Wilhelm does), FJ is almost abstract in his explanations, and it's all about himself. Sure, he wasn't of the best of mind in his old age, but even so he must have been clear that not everyone in his countries would love him enough to die for him in battle.

Well he wasn't really up to current times in 1848, and only kept going worse.

[Syt]

Anyways, I should go and watch Radetzkymarsch again (both the old and the new version fr comparison).

[Valmy]

That's what shocked me the most, the fact he doesn't pay even the smallest lip service to the interests of the people when going to war. Heck, even if you don't give a shit that's nationalism 101 to get people on your side.

'The evil Slavs our conspiring to destroy our Austro-Hungarian nation!' is probably no the wisest play when calling your Polish, Czech, and Croatian subjects to put their lives on the line.

[Valmy]

Well he wasn't really up to current times in 1848, and only kept going worse.

In a perverse way, though, it was his old fashioned anachronistic ways that made him popular.  It was almost like the statue of Napoleon coming to life to call France to war or something.

[Valmy]

then the "Serbs were like sitting there, and Austria came to bully them around" short version you hear everywhere.

The fact that the Serbs still obnoxiously claim this lie to this day drives me crazy.  They wanted to provoke chaos and war, it was the only way to achieve their nationalistic dreams.  I can only charitably hope the modern Serbs simply have come to believe the old propaganda.

They always seem to do their best to remind us they know damn well what happened like exonerating Dragutin Dimitrijević.  Releasing Mehmedbašić AGAIN in 1919.  As far as they are concerned murdering Franz Ferdinand was a good thing done by righteous men who are at the same time completely innocent of the crime.