SEVEN YEARS AGO.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2311, 4 August 1921, Page 2

SEVEN YEARS AGO.

THE START OF THE GREAT WAR.

The Post recalls that this week contains the seventh anniversary dates of a number of the leading events in the outbreak of the Great War. Without a little thinking, it is hard to realise that those events, so fresh in memory, are so far past in time. The Austro-Hungarian ultimatum to Serbia, with its demand for a reply within 48 hours, was presented on 23rd .July. On the 28th, Serbia, having declined to accept the conditions of the ultimatum, Austria-Hungary declared war upon her. On Ist August Germany declared war on Russia; on the following day German troops entered French territory at Cirey, and Russian troops crossed the German frontier. This day seven years ago the British Fleet was mobilised; and the same day Germany sent an ultimatum to Belgium demanding the right to traverse Belgium for war operations. On the 4th Britain, with Treaty obligations to Belgium, delivered an ultimatum to Germany, and that night, at 11 p.m. a state of war between Britain and Germany came about through failure of Germany to reply. On the 10th, Franco declared war on Austria-Hungary, and Britain made a similar declaration two days later.