11.00 A.M.: Pourtalès calls on Sazonov to tell him Berlin is still pushing Vienna to talk with St Petersburg and clarify “the aims and extent” of its actions in Serbia. Sazonov says he wants to talk with Vienna but there is no sign Vienna wants to talk.
He tells Pourtalès Russia is about to order mobilisation of the Russian military districts facing Austria and points out “…. in Russia, unlike western European states, mobilisation is far from being the same as war. The Russian Army could, at need, stand at ease for weeks without crossing the frontier”.
Pourtalès warns him military measures are dangerous. They lead to counter-measures by the other side. [More]