The July Ultimatum (1914): Austria-Hungary's 10 Demands to Serbia — 48-Hour Deadline

Delivered 23 July 1914 (6 PM), the July Ultimatum was designed to be rejected — the casus belli Vienna wanted.

The 10 Demands (Condensed)

1. Officially condemn anti-Austrian propaganda.
2. Dissolve societies (Narodna Odbrana) promoting it.
3. Remove officers/teachers involved in propaganda.
4. Accept Austro-Hungarian delegates in Serbian inquiry.
5. Arrest Princip's accomplices (Tankosić, Ciganović) + allow AH officials in investigation.
6. Suppress anti-Austrian publications.
7. Allow AH police to operate in Serbia against subversives.
8. Report compliance measures to Vienna.
9. Explain non-compliance with 1909 demands.
10. Reply within 48 hours.

Serbia's Response (25 July, 6 PM)

• Accepted 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9 (with reservations).
• Rejected 4, 5, 8 — sovereignty violations (foreign police/judges on Serbian soil).
• Mobilized army.

Outcome

Austria declared the reply "unsatisfactory," broke relations (26 Jul), declared war (28 Jul). Russia mobilized → Germany → France → Britain. World War I began.

Historical Consensus

Demands 4, 5, 8 were intentionally unacceptable to a sovereign state. The ultimatum was a pretext, not a negotiation.