owering war clouds, either on
his own initiative or yielding to the importunities of his military
camarilla, directed the issuance of the ultimatum to Russia and thus
blasted the last hope of peace.

On midnight of July 31st, the German Chancellor sent the following
telegram to the German Ambassador at St. Petersburg:

In spite of still pending mediatory negotiations, and
although we ourselves have up to the present moment taken no
measures for mobilization, Russia has mobilized her entire
army and navy; in other words, mobilized against us also.
By these Russian measures we have been obliged, for the
safeguarding of the Empire, to announce that danger of war
threatens us, which does not yet mean mobilization.
Mobilization, however, must follow _unless Russia ceases
within twelve hours all warlike measures against us and
Austria-Hungary_ and gives us definite assurance thereof.
Kindly communicate this at once to M. Sazonof and wire hour
of its communication to him.

At midnight the fateful message was delivered. As Sazonof reports the
interview:

At midnight the Ambassador of Germany declared to me, by
order of his Government, that if within twelve hours,
that is at midday of Saturday, we did not commence
demobilization, _not only in regard to Germany but also in
regard to Austria_, the German Government would be forced to
give the order of mobilization. To my question if this was
war the Ambassador replied in the negative, but added that
we were very near it.

It will be noted by the italicized portion that Germany did not
restrict its demand that Russia cease its preparations against
Germany, but it should also desist from any preparations to defend
itself or assert its rights against Austria, although Austria had
made no offer to suspend either its preparations for war or recall its
general mobilization order.

The twelve hours elapsed and Russia, standing upon its dignity as a
sovereign nation of equal standing with Germany, declined to answer
this unreasonable and most arrogant demand, which under the
circumstances was equivalent to a declaration of war.

Simultaneously a like telegram was sent to the Ambassador at Paris,
requiring the French Government to state in eighteen hours whether it
would remain neutral in the event of a Russian-German war.

The reasons given for this double ultimatum are as disin