Support For The War: Poster Urging Women To Join The British War Effort, Published by The

Support for the war
Poster urging women to join the British war effort, published by the Young Women's Christian
Association
In the Balkans, Yugoslav nationalists such as the leader, Ante Trumbić, strongly supported
the war, desiring the freedom of Yugoslavs from Austria-Hungary and other foreign powers
and the creation of an independent Yugoslavia. The Yugoslav Committee, led by Trumbić,
was formed in Paris on 30 April 1915 but shortly moved its office to London.[358] In April
1918, the Rome Congress of Oppressed Nationalities met,
including Czechoslovak, Italian, Polish, Transylvanian, and Yugoslav representatives who
urged the Allies to support national self-determination for the peoples residing within
Austria-Hungary.[359]
In the Middle East, Arab nationalism soared in Ottoman territories in response to the rise of
Turkish nationalism during the war, with Arab nationalist leaders advocating the creation of
a pan-Arab state. In 1916, the Arab Revolt began in Ottoman-controlled territories of the
Middle East in an effort to achieve independence.[360]
In East Africa, Iyasu V of Ethiopia was supporting the Dervish state who were at war with
the British in the Somaliland Campaign.[361] Von Syburg, the German envoy in Addis Ababa,
said, "now the time has come for Ethiopia to regain the coast of the Red Sea driving the
Italians home, to restore the Empire to its ancient size." The Ethiopian Empire was on the
verge of entering World War I on the side of the Central Powers before Iyasu's overthrow
due to Allied pressure on the Ethiopian aristocracy.[362] Iyasu was accused of converting
to Islam.[363] According to Ethiopian historian Bahru Zewde, the evidence used to prove
Iyasu's conversion was a doctored photo of Iyasu wearing a turban provided by the
Allies.[364] Some historians claim the British spy T. E. Lawrence forged the Iyasu photo.[365]
A number of socialist parties initially supported the war when it began in August
1914.[359] But European socialists split on national lines, with the concept of class
conflict held by radical socialists such as Marxists and syndicalists being overborne by their
patriotic support for the war.[366] Once the war began, Austrian, British, French, German, and
Russian socialists followed the rising nationalist current by supporting their countries'
intervention in the war.[367]
Italian nationalism was stirred by the outbreak of the war and was initially strongly
supported by a variety of political factions. One of the most prominent and popular Italian
nationalist supporters of the war was Gabriele d'Annunzio, who promoted Italian
irredentism and helped sway the Italian public to support intervention in the
war.[368] The Italian Liberal Party, under the leadership of Paolo Boselli, promoted
intervention in the war on the side of the Allies and used the Dante Alighieri Society to
promote Italian nationalism.[369] Italian socialists were divided on whether to support the war
or oppose it; some were militant supporters of the war, including Benito
Mussolini and Leonida Bissolati.[370] However, the Italian Socialist Party decided to oppose
the war after anti-militarist protestors were killed, resulting in a general strike called Red
Week.[371] The Italian Socialist Party purged itself of pro-war nationalist members, including
Mussolini.[371] Mussolini, a syndicalist who supported the war on grounds of irredentist
claims on Italian-populated regions of Austria-Hungary, formed the pro-interventionist Il
Popolo d'Italia and the Fasci Rivoluzionario d'Azione
Internazionalista ("Revolutionary Fasci for International Action") in October 1914 that later
developed into the Fasci di Combattimento in 1919, the origin of fascism.[372] Mussolini's
nationalism enabl
assassination, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
Ethno-linguistic map of Austria-Hungary, 1910. Bosnia-Herzegovina was annexed in 1908.
On 25 July, Russia, in support of Serbia, declared partial mobilisation against Austria-

Hungary.[59] On 30 July, Russia ordered general mobilisation. German Chancellor
Bethmann-Hollweg waited until the 31st for an appropriate response, when Germany
declared Erklärung des Kriegszustandes, or "Statement on the war status".[16][60] Kaiser
Wilhelm II asked his cousin, Tsar Nicolas II, to suspend the Russian general mobilisation.
When he refused, Germany issued an ultimatum demanding its mobilisation be stopped,
and a commitment not to support Serbia. Another was sent to France, asking her not to
support Russia if it were to come to the defence of Serbia. On 1 August, after the Russian
response, Germany mobilised and declared war on Russia. This also led to the general
mobilisation in Austria-Hungary on 4 August.
The German government issued demands to France that it remain neutral as they had to
decide which deployment plan to implement, it being extremely difficult to change the
deployment whilst it was underway. The modified German Schlieffen Plan, Aufmarsch II
West, would deploy 80% of the army in the west, while Aufmarsch I Ost and Aufmarsch II
Ost would deploy 60% in the west and 40% in the east. The French did not respond, but
sent a mixed message by ordering their troops to withdraw 10 km (6 mi) from the border to
avoid any incidents, and at the same time ordered the mobilisation of their reserves.
Germany responded by mobilising its own reserves and implementing Aufmarsch II West.
On 1 August, Wilhelm ordered General Helmuth von Moltke the Younger to "march the
whole of the ... army to the East" after being wrongly informed that the British would remain
neutral if France was not attacked. Moltke told the Kaiser that attempting to redeploy a
million men was unthinkable, and that making it possible for the French to attack the
Germans "in the rear" would prove disastrous. Yet Wilhelm insisted that the German army
should not march into Luxembourg until he received a telegram sent by his cousin George
V, who made it clear that there had been a misunderstanding. Eventually the Kaiser told
Moltke, "Now you can do what you want."[61][62]
On 2 August, Germany occupied Luxembourg, and on 3 August declared war on France;
on the same day, they sent the Belgian government an ultimatum demanding unimpeded
right of way through any part of Belgium, which was refused. Early on the morning of
4 August, the Germans invaded; King Albert ordered his military to resist and called for
assistance under the 1839 Treaty of London.[63][64][65] Britain demanded Germany comply with
the Treaty and respect Belgian neutrality; it declared war on Germany at 19:00 UTC on
4 August 1914 (effective from 23:00), following an "unsatisfactory reply".[66]
Progress of the war

Further information: Diplomatic history of World War I
Opening hostilities
Confusion among the Central Powers
The strategy of the Central Powers suffered from miscommunication. Germany had
promised to support Austria-Hungary's invasion of Serbia, but interpretations of what this
meant differed. Previously tested deployment plans had been replaced early in 1914, but
those had never been tested in exercises. Austro-Hungarian leaders believed Germany
would cover its northern flank against Russia.[67] Germany, however, envisioned Austria-
Hungary directing most of its troops against Russia, while Germany dealt with France. This
confusion forced the Austro-Hungarian Army to divide its forces between the Russian and
Serbian fronts.
Serbian campaign
Main article: Serbian Campaign of World War I
Serbian Army Blériot XI "Oluj", 1915
Austria invaded and fought the Serbian army at the Battle of Cer and Battle of
Kolubara beginning on 12 August. Over the next two weeks, Austrian attacks were thrown
back with heavy losses, which marked the first major Allied victories of the war and dashed
Austro-Hungarian hopes of a swift victory. As a result, Austria had to keep sizeable forces
on the Serbian front, weakening its efforts against Russia.[68] Serbia's defeat of the Austro-
Hungarian invasion of 1914 has been called one of the major upset victories of the
twentieth century.[69] The campaign saw the very first use of medical evacuation by the
Serbian army in autumn of 1915 and anti-aircraft warfare in the spring of 1915 after an
Austrian plane was shot down with ground-to-air fire.[70][71]
German Offensive in Belgium and France

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Support for the war

Ethno-linguistic map of Austria-Hungary, 1910. Bosnia-Herzegovina was annexed in 1908.

On 25 July, Russia, in support of Serbia, declared partial mobilisation against Austria-

Progress of the war

Serbian Army Blériot XI "Oluj", 1915

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