10.15 P.M.: At last Bethmann takes action on the Kaiser’s “halt in Belgrade” proposal as he interprets it. He wires Tschirschky in Vienna (Telegram 174) first complaining about the lack of information from Vienna regarding its true intentions for Serbia.
Berlin now feels the Serbian reply largely meets Vienna’s demands and if Austria-Hungary continues an uncompromising attitude it will be held responsible for a world war even in the eyes of the German people. The responsibility for any war should fall on Russia.
He says it is vital for Vienna to make clear its military preparations are solely aimed at a temporary occupation of Belgrade to ensure Serbia complies with Austro-Hungarian demands.
Tschirschky is instructed to discuss this with Berchtold but to avoid giving rise to the impression Germany wishes to hold Austria back. He does not communicate the Kaiser’s emphatic view that “halt in Belgrade” is the right policy and war is now unnecessary. [More]