File No. 763.72/910
The Minister in Roumania, Servia, and Bulgaria ( Vopicka ) to the Secretary of State
Bucharest , August 19, 1914.
[Received September 19.]
Servian Series]
No. 29]
Sir: Referring to my despatch, Servian Series No. 27, of July 16,1 I have the honor to state that during my last visit in Belgrade I had the pleasure of meeting and conversing freely with nearly all the representatives of foreign countries. Baron Giesl von Gieslingen, the Austrian Minister, and Baron von Griesinger, the German Minister, especially talked to me about the Sarajevo tragedy and the Austrian Minister stated that Servia must give full satisfaction to Austria for the murder of Archduke Ferdinand. It happened that I visited Mr. Pachitch, the Servian Minister for Foreign Affairs, as the Austrian Minister retired. Mr. Pachitch complained of the action of Austria saying that efforts were being made to hold the Servian Nation responsible for the crime. The Minister for Foreign Affairs further stated that Austria demanded that all Servian students in Sarajevo should be expelled and sent back to Servia, etc.
I am sure that none of the diplomats in Belgrade expected within a week after the funeral of Mr. Hardwig, the late Russian Minister at Belgrade, that war would have been declared by Austria against Servia. The Servian people themselves were not unprepared for war as the Austrian newspapers threatened them continually. Taking everything into consideration without prejudice, it seems to me that Austria wanted to have war with Servia and that the death of Archduke Ferdinand was welcomed as a casus belli.
[Page 108]The Austrians have for years been predominant in the Servian markets but lost nearly all of this trade in 1912 upon the inception of the war between Turkey and the Balkan allies. The Servians charge that Austria, by the creation of the independent state of Albania, is responsible for the disruption of the Balkan Alliance. Of course this, action was taken by Austria to deprive Servia of access to the Adriatic Sea. The late Archduke was the advocate of this anti-Servian policy and therefore it was no wonder that Servians did not like him as he had prevented the realization of the nation’s dream to own a large port on the Adriatic. Austria-Hungary is very jealous of greater Servia as it has progressed and extended against her will.
The agreement between Austria and Bulgaria which [it] is claimed was made after Bulgaria’s defeat by Greece and Servia, did not stop Servia and the friendship between this nation and Greece was very much disliked by Austria, but the greatest dissatisfaction came when it was announced that Greece had made an agreement with Servia regarding the port of Saloniki, which was to be also a Servian port on the Aegean Sea, and thus give an outlet to Servia to the sea which Austria had always tried to stop. There was no more chance to stop this and therefore Austria felt very unfriendly not only to Servia but to Greece also.
On the other hand Austrians charge that Russia was trying to get a hold on the whole of the Balkan Peninsula, including the city of Constantinople, and that Servia was her tool which should help her to accomplish the purpose.
It seems therefore that the Balkan Peninsula, which is like a volcano ready to explode at any time, played a large rôle in the world’s affairs; because taking into consideration the quick action of Germany in joining Austria in the present war, every intelligent man must actually believe that this new European war was brought about only for one purpose and that is for the supremacy of the world’s commerce.
The opinion of Lieutenant Miles, our military attaché, is that Austria was anxious to get a strip of land known as the Sandjak of Novibazar, which is a strip of land to the east of Herzegovina and which in 1912 at the close of the Turkish war was divided by Servia and Montenegro, thus joining the two nations of the same race. It is probable that it is this territory which Austria wants, both in order to sever Servia from Montenegro and to open the Austrian road to Saloniki. Austria also undoubtedly hopes that this war will strengthen her hold on the Slavonic people of her empire, but I believe she wants a great deal more than that.
Servia is a small country, but in case of war she has an army of 350,000 soldiers, all great patriots and enemies of Austria. They know the enormous task before them but they hope for success from the intense devotion of their people for their cause, the instinct knowledge of the theatre of war and the definite time limit in which Austria must win or give up. Of course now the result of the Servian war depends entirely on the outcome of the European war. The Servian Army is now fully mobilized. By the National Assembly at Nish, General Paulovitch was made commander of the Servian Army with headquarters at Kragujevatz.
[Page 109]In conformity with your telegraphic instructions I have undertaken the protection of German interests in Servia. Many appeals have already come to me for assistance. I have freely conferred with my German colleague and will, in due course, submit to you a full report.
As the protection of Austrian interests in Servia were, at the time of the withdrawal of the German Minister, intrusted to his Legation, I have at his request and further at the instance of our Embassy in Vienna, undertaken likewise the protection of the Austro-Hungarian interests in Servia.
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩