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Primary Documents - 1914

Archduke Franz Ferdinand's car leaves the town hall at Sarajevo This page of the Primary Documents section of the website collects together archive source documents originating in 1914, the year the First World War began.

Included among the 1914 documents are the various declarations of war, as well as Count Franz von Harrach's memoir of the events surrounding the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.  America's 1914 policy of neutrality is also well documented.

The list presented below - with each entry accompanied by a brief summary of its significance -  is sorted by date, with earlier documents listed first.

Document Description
ArticleTampico Incident April - U.S. action against Mexico
ArticleArchduke Franz Ferdinand's Assassination June - Memoir of Archduke's assassination
ArticleAustrian Ministerial Council Meeting July - Official council minutes urging war against Serbia
ArticleAustrian Report into Assassination July - Report highlighting Serbian role in assassination
ArticleGermany's Offer of a 'Blank Cheque' July - Germany's tacit encouragement of Austrian action
ArticleKaiser Wilhelm II on Austrian Ultimatum July - German Kaiser's impatience for action against Serbia
ArticleAustrian Ultimatum to Serbia and Reply July - Austrian precursor to declaration of war
ArticleAustrian Explanation for Ultimatum July - Letter sent to powers explaining Austria's approach
ArticleSerbia's Appeal for Russian Assistance July - Serbian King's plea for Russia's help against Austria
ArticleBelgian Reaction to Austrian Ultimatum July - Belgian Ambassador to Berlin's dismay
ArticleBritish Reaction to Austrian Ultimatum (1) July - Sir Edward Grey's disappointment
ArticleBritish Reaction to Austrian Ultimatum (2) July - British Ambassador to Austria's view of events
ArticleFrench Reaction to Austrian Ultimatum July - Ambassador to Berlin's moves to secure peace
ArticleU.S. Reaction to Austrian Ultimatum July - Ambassador to Turkey's belief in German culpability
ArticleAustria's Declaration of War with Serbia July - Formal Austro-Hungarian declaration of war
ArticleWilhelm II's Account of July Crisis July - German Kaiser's account of events in July 1914
ArticleWilly-Nicky Telegrams July/August - Diplomatic notes between Kaiser and Tsar
ArticleGermany's Declaration of War with Russia August - Note to Russia declaring war
ArticleGerman Statement on Outbreak of War August - Statement attributing blame for war on Russia
ArticleBritish Reaction to German Statement August - Rebuttal of Germany's account of start of war
ArticleGermany's Appeal to U.S. August - Appeal by Germany to garner U.S. sympathy
ArticleTurco-German Alliance August - Military alliance preceding entry into war
ArticleGerman Request for Passage via Belgium August - Germany's request - and Belgium's refusal
ArticleGermany's Declaration of War with France August - Note to France declaring war
ArticleBritain's End of Relations with Germany August - British Ambassador to Berlin's account
ArticleThe Scrap of Paper August - German Chancellor's use of the term
ArticlePresident Poincare's War Address August - French President's address to Parliament
ArticleFrench Prime Minister's Statement on War August - Account of countdown to war
ArticleBelgian King's Address to Parliament August - King Albert I's call to arms
ArticleU.K. Daily Mirror Report on News of War August - British tabloid newspaper's reaction
ArticleBritish Prime Minister's Address August - Herbert Asquith's account of run-up to war
ArticleFrench Proclamation on Invasion of Alsace August - Joseph Joffre's premature declaration of victory
ArticleKing George V's Message to British Troops August - British Monarch's encouragement
ArticleU.K. Defence of the Realm Act August - British government's request for measures
ArticleJapanese Ultimatum to Germany (1) August - Japanese demand for control of Tsingtao
ArticleJapanese Ultimatum to Germany (2) August - Japanese explanation of war with Germany
ArticleKitchener's Guidance to British Troops August - War minister's urge for restraint in France
ArticleAustrian Statement on War Against Serbia August - War minister's statement
ArticleFall of Liege: General Leman's Letter August - Leman's letter to King Albert I
ArticleFall of Liege: General Leman's Diary August - Leman's prison diary entries regarding fall of Liege
ArticleFall of Liege: German Officer's Account August - First-hand account of the fall of Liege
ArticleGermany's Second Request for Passage August - Chancellor's request for an accommodation
ArticleFlight of the Goeben and Breslau August - U.S. Ambassador to Turkey's first-hand account
ArticleWilhelm II and the British Army August - Letter in which Kaiser dismissed the British Army
ArticleU.S. Policy of Neutrality August - President Wilson's address to Congress
ArticleProclamations of German Military Governor August - Text of two proclamations
ArticleBattle of Tannenberg: Paul von Hindenburg August - Account of the German victory
ArticleBattle of Tannenberg: Vasily Gurko August - Account of the Russian failure
ArticleAbandonment of Paris by French Govt. (1) August - Text of the proclamation
ArticleSack of Louvain: German Statement August - Gottlieb von Jagow's justification re: Louvain
ArticleSack of Louvain: Judicial Report August - Belgian report into sack of Louvain
ArticleGerman Chancellor's Speech to Reichstag August - Bethmann-Hollweg on countdown to war
ArticleAbandonment of Paris by French Govt. (2) August - Text of the second proclamation
ArticleWilhelm II on German Rule in France August - Alleged letter in which Kaiser supported terror
ArticleTriple Entente: No Separate Peace September - Britain, France and Russia agree to act
ArticleSir John French's First Despatch September - British Commander-in-Chief's report
ArticleWilhelm II's Letter to U.S. Re: Belgium September - German Kaiser's complaint against Belgium
ArticleBelgian Ambassador on War in Turkey September - Ambassador's report home
ArticleBattle of Ourcq River: French Proclamation September - Joseph Joffre's Congratulations
ArticleBattle of Ourcq River: French Memoir September - General Clergerie's Memoir
ArticleBattle of Ourcq River: German Reaction September - Helmuth von Moltke's Announcement
ArticleFirst Battle of the Marne: French Reaction September - Joseph Joffre's Order of the Day
ArticleFirst Battle of the Aisne: British Reaction September - Sir John French's Order of the Day
ArticleFirst Battle of the Marne: Poincare Reacts September - President Poincare's Letter to War Minister
ArticleFirst Battle of the Marne: British Report September - Sir John French's Disputed Report
ArticleFirst Battle of the Marne: French Report September - Joseph Joffre's Report
ArticleFirst Battle of the Marne: German Account September - German First Army commander's account
ArticleBritish Journalism at the Aisne September - Ernest Swinton's 'Eye Witness' Reports
ArticleSinking of Aboukir, Cressy and Hogue (1) September - Otto Weddigen's U-boat Memoir
ArticleSinking of Aboukir, Cressy and Hogue (2) September - Official British Report
ArticleSiege of Antwerp (1) October - Arthur Conan Doyle's Summary
ArticleSiege of Antwerp (2) October - Winston Churchill's Account
ArticleSiege of Antwerp (3) October - Belgian Commandant's Account
ArticleSiege of Antwerp (4) October - Erich von Falkenhayn's Account
ArticleBattle of the Yser (1) October - Belgian Minister of Justice's Summary
ArticleBattle of the Yser (2) October - Erich von Falkenhayn's Account
ArticleTalaat Pasha on Turkey's Decision for War October - Background to Turkey's entry into the war
ArticleJoseph Joffre's Report on 1st Ypres October - French Commander-in-Chief's account
ArticleHindenburg on German Attack on Warsaw November - German Field Marshal's summary
ArticleBritish Account of Battles of Warsaw November - Written by British observer with Russian Army
ArticleIssuance of Ottoman Fetva November - Religious commandment to Muslims worldwide
ArticleProclamation of Sultan Mehmed V November - Ottoman call to arms
ArticleCarl Lody's Final Letters November - Convicted German spy's final letters
ArticleGerman Reaction to Fall of Tsingtao November - Newspaper article lamenting German defeat
ArticleBritish Journalism at 1st Ypres November - Ernest Swinton's 'Eye Witness' Report
ArticleGerman Army Order Regarding Warsaw November - Hindenburg's triumphal communiqué
ArticleFrench Army Review of the War December - Joseph Joffre's review of campaign in August

A "dope can" was a metal syringe containing petrol for priming an aircraft engine.

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