8.00 P.M.: Austria-Hungary’s refusal of direct talks, the bombardment of Belgrade, the latest message from Pourtalès, which sounds like an ultimatum, together with the military reasons against partial mobilisation persuade Sazonov war cannot be avoided and Russia must order general mobilisation.
He meets Yanushkevich and Sukhomlinov and they decide “in view of the small probability of avoiding war with Germany” to recommend immediate general mobilisation to the Tsar. The Tsar approves the decision over the phone. [More]