In summer 1914, the world went to war.

Now 110 years later, we go back to those figures, to those debates, to those questions,

in the greatest failure in the history of diplomacy.

I am Dr. Zach Twomley. You're listening to When Diplomacy Fails, and this is the July

Crisis. I know that our armies will give us of their best in the struggle that has been forced upon us,

and I join my prayers with yours that God may stand by us.

At the same time that I telegraph to you, I also telegraphed to the King of Italy,

but he has shamefully betrayed our trust and

has failed to fulfill the obligations of his alliance. Kaiser Wilhelm writes to Emperor Franz

Joseph 2nd of August 1914. The German plan, complete with all its outrages and violations, was now abundantly clear.

The ultimatum had been sent to Belgium. War would be declared on France by the evening.

In London, Sir Edward Grey finally broke his public silence and presented the situation to the House of Commons and thus the country.

Behind the scenes, German policymakers continued to scramble for allies.

Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire seemed assured,

while they lamented the loss of former partners like Italy and Romania.

German divisions massed on the Belgian border, waiting for the signal to invade. Would the Belgian

government exceed to her demands, or would they resist? If the former, German armies would

still march through Belgium, but if the latter, the tense atmosphere would be replaced with one of outright

hostility. The recently upgraded fortress of Lij liege was the first target on Maltka's

list, and it would be a formidable test of his army's capabilities since the defeat of France

more than 40 years before. We know what happened next. German armies marched through Belgium

on the 4th of August, failed to respond to a British

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