When Diplomacy Fails presents the July Crisis Anniversary Project, a day-by-day account of the events that occurred 100 years ago.

The President and the Tsar.

Today is the 22nd of July 2014, and over this period in history 100 years ago, occurred the following

events.

At 2pm, on Monday the 20th of July, the battleship, France, that carried the French President

and Prime Minister, pulled into harbour at Cronstadt,

the Russian naval base in the Gulf of Finland that guards the approaches to St. Petersburg.

For the two VIPs on board, it had been a mixed journey since they set off on the previous

Thursday morning. Though perfectly happy for a break from the capital and for a chance to take in the fresh air,

French President Raymond Poincere was troubled by his colleague, the French Prime Minister, Rene Viviani,

and his apparent ignorance of the strategic situation.

Throughout the voyage, Poincerey had briefed the thoroughly pacifist Viviani on the need for France's militaristic

three-year law, as well as the importance of the Franco-Russian Entente to French security.

Despite the five-day journey, though, Poincerey remained unimpressed with Viviani, as they set

their feet upon Russian territory. Noting he was,

extraordinarily ignorant of foreign affairs, which do not

interest him and which he does not seem to understand. Viviani was, as Poncaray feared,

preoccupied with news filtering in from France, since it was today that the political trial of

Madame Calais would take place, expecting to be greeted by a blast of cold, seeing as they were in the political trial of Madame Calais would take place.

Expecting to be greeted by a blast of cold, seeing as they were in the upper north of Europe,

Viviani was unhappy to be greeted by a murderous heat as he alighted the France,

and claimed he had found the climate worse than tropical Africa.

...