In the afternoon of Thursday, July 30, 19 1914, the Russian Emperor was in seclusion,

as his ministers conferred and schemed to convince him to rescind his partial mobilization

and issue instead a full mobilization order while there was still time.

In London, the British Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Gray, met with the German ambassador.

He did not let on that the British cabinet was currently divided 16 to 4 against intervention

in the not yet declared continental war.

Instead, he warned the ambassador that Britain would probably stay neutral if the conflict were

confined to the Balkans, but if Germany attacked France, then Britain would be likely to enter

the war in support of her Entente partner.

Welcome to the history of the 20th century.

The 20th century. Episode 78 The Lamps Go Out, Part 2

At 3 o'clock on the afternoon of July 30th, Foreign Minister Sazonov arrived

for his meeting with the Emperor to discuss the mobilization order. In the meanwhile, Nikki

has read the latest telegram from Willie. This is the telegram that the Emperor mistook last night's telegram for,

the one in which Kaiser Wilhelm says there is no contradiction between what he says and what his

ambassador says, and that if Russia mobilizes, mediation will be impossible. Nikolai is thinking hard

about how Wilhelm is focusing on Russia's mobilization as an obstacle

to peace while refusing to take any steps to stop the Austrian mobilization that is already underway.

Now, you could argue, and the Germans and Austrians would argue, that the Austrian mobilization

is directed against Serbia only, not against Russia or any

other great power, and is therefore less serious a threat to peace than a Russian mobilization

directed against Austria, a fellow great power. Except that Nikolai is also remembering how

...