World War 1 Help? Archduke Ferdinand's Assassination

[EmperorBatman999]

I'm trying to write a story of World War 1 from the eyes of an Austrian soldier, right now I need help on Archduke Ferdinand's assassination. I'd really appreciate if someone posted an article or an eyewitness account of the event.

Also, what battles did the Austro-Hungarians participate in?

[Yorkshireman]

This short article contains 2 eyewitness accounts

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/duke.htm

Another short account from a bodyguard

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A11873900

Wiki page is quite useful

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassi...and_of_Austria

London Times newspaper archive from 28 June 1914 (reports on the assassination plus general situation)

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sys...ranz_Ferdinan/

[Lysimachus]

I'm trying to write a story of World War 1 from the eyes of an Austrian soldier, right now I need help on Archduke Ferdinand's assassination. I'd really appreciate if someone posted an article or an eyewitness account of the event.

Also, what battles did the Austro-Hungarians participate in?

The Austro-Hungarians took part in offensives against Romania when they launched an incursion in to Transylvania, the Siege of Przemsyl, battles around Krakow under Conrad von Hötzendorf, During 1914 they advanced from the Galician front north-eastwards towards Warsaw and the Vistula, and the Brusilov Offensive are a few examples.

[4th Regiment]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassi...and_of_Austria

This one Wicky article is pure one anti Serbian ranting, even in sentences not directly related to the theme. Serbs are evil incarnates

First, as big introduction, Serbian interdinastic struggle and assassination of King Aleksandar Obrenovic in 1903, is portrayed as tribal savagery...as introduction to paint Serbs as traditional king killers, I guess. Bluntly forgetting to mention that, after Kardjordjevic dynasty succeed Obrenovic one in 1903, Serbia got most liberal constitution in Europe of the time, and flourishing democracy – one of the main reason Obrenovic dynasty was hatred and assassinated because of authoritarian rule...

"The new dynasty was more nationalistic, more friendly to Russia and less friendly to Austria-Hungary."

Yeh,nationalistic because it introduced full freedom of press, full working democracy but trying to diverse Serbian export and economy more to France and UK and to escape from status of client AH state (sealed in secret agreement of king Milan Obrenovic and AH in 1878)

"Over the next decade, disputes between Serbia and its neighbors erupted as Serbia moved to build its power and gradually reclaim its 14th century empire"

Yeahh "big" "powerfull" "imperialistic" Serbia (look at 1903 map) O, yeah...we wanted Tokio back and smash all on our way to empire

"These conflicts included a customs dispute with Austria-Hungary beginning in 1906 (commonly referred to as the "Pig War"), the Bosnian crisis of 1908–1909 where Serbia assumed an attitude of protest over Austria-Hungary's annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina (ending in Serbian acquiescence without compensation in March 1909)"

Custom dispute,hah. AH blockade of Serbia in order to bring tiny Serbian economy to knees and to bring it back to pre 1903 client state colonial status.

"and finally the two Balkan wars of 1912–1913 where Serbia conquered Macedonia and Kosovo taking these provinces from the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria."

I did not know northern Macedonia was part of Bulgaria before 1912-13…and poor little Ottomans had historical rights on southern Serbia I guess …so those Serbian imperialist conquered poor little Ottomans lands…

I quit reading here

[il padrino]

Also, what battles did the Austro-Hungarians participate in?

Well,their first offensive was against Serbia in summer and autumn 1914,right Lysimachus ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kolubara

[Lysimachus]

Well,their first offensive was against Serbia in summer and autumn 1914,right Lysimachus ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kolubara

Um, yes?

[il padrino]

[Ardruire Iacób]

Of course it was, that was kind of what drew Russia and Germany in, drawing in France, and then Belgium and Britain, and then Turkey, and so on and so forth...

Weren't there huge casualties in Serbia? The long-standing enmity certainly didn't help...

[il padrino]

I know well that.I was just trying to see if my good mate Lysimachus would agree,since he somehow forgot to mention it in his post,while answering that question.

Also i almost forgot this front.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian...World_War_I%29

[Lysimachus]

I know well that.I was just trying to see if my good mate Lysimachus would agree,since he somehow forgot to mention it in his post,while answering that question.

Also i almost forgot this front.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian...World_War_I%29

Well to be blunt, I kind of forgot about the Serbian campaign. I've been reading my book and the early section focused on the battles throughout Congress Poland.

[il padrino]

Weren't there huge casualties in Serbia? The long-standing enmity certainly didn't help...

The total number of casualties is placed around 1,000,000[7]-> 25% of Serbia's prewar size, and an absolute majority (57%) of its overall male population.[8] L.A. Times and N.Y. Times also cited over 1,000,000 victims in their respective articles.[9][10] The extent of the Serbian demographic disaster can be illustrated by the statement of the Bulgarian Prime Minister Vasil Radoslavov: "Serbia ceased to exist" (New York Times, summer 1917).[11] In July 1918 the US Secretary of State Robert Lansing urged the Americans of all religions to pray for Serbia in their respective churches.[12][13]

So yeah,we payed a rather high price for our liberty.

@Lysimachus

That's ok.I just thought it's worth mentioning,not only because i'm Serbian,but because the first Entente victory was won in that front,among other things.

[Lysimachus]

@Lysimachus

That's ok.I just thought it's worth mentioning,not only because i'm Serbian,but because the first Entente victory was won in that front,among other things.

You might be trying to make a point of my anti-Balkan attitude, but I only feel that way towards retarded nationalism, not stating fact.

[il padrino]

You might be trying to make a point of my anti-Balkan attitude

Well there's no need to make a point of it really,it's evident enough.

But let's not turn this thread into something that wouldn't help EmperorBatman at all.

@EmperorBatman

Maybe you could make your story look something like this (from Yorkshireman's link)

Another Perspective
Count Franz von Harrach rode on the running board of the royal car serving as a bodyguard for the Archduke. His account begins immediately after Princip fires his two shots: The Archduke and his wife leave
City Hall. Count Harrach rides the
running board "As the car quickly reversed, a thin stream of blood spurted from His Highness's mouth onto my right check. As I was pulling out my handkerchief to wipe the blood away from his mouth, the Duchess cried out to him, 'In Heaven's name, what has happened to you?' At that she slid off the seat and lay on the floor of the car, with her face between his knees.
I had no idea that she too was hit and thought she had simply fainted with fright. Then I heard His Imperial Highness say, 'Sopherl, Sopherl, don't die. Stay alive for the children!'
At that, I seized the Archduke by the collar of his uniform, to stop his head dropping forward and asked him if he was in great pain. He answered me quite distinctly, 'It's nothing!' His face began to twist somewhat but he went on repeating, six or seven times, ever more faintly as he gradually lost consciousness, 'It's nothing!' Then, after a short pause, there was a violent choking sound caused by the bleeding. It was stopped as we reached the Konak."

[EmperorBatman999]

What was the first battle Austro-Hungarians fought in where biplanes participated on the Eastern or Balkan fronts?

[il padrino]

Hm,i only know this

The pilots soon applied the experience gained in the Balkan wars to the World War I battles, thus becoming a worthy opponent to the stronger enemy forces. On 17 September 1915, according to the Julian calendar, that is 30 September in Gregorian calendar, Serbian Air Defense members shot down the first of many enemy airplanes over Kragujevac. This day was, by the Act of king Aleksandar I, proclaimed the Air Defense Artillery Division’s day. At the Thessaloniki front line, with the support of the Allied force, Serbian Air Forces were reorganized. First, Serbian-French joint escadrilles were formed, and by the end of 1916 a Nieuport division, while at the beginning and in mid 1918 the First and Second Serbian Fighter Escadrilles were formed.

I don't know if it was the first time they used planes over Serbia.

[EmperorBatman999]

Hm,i only know this



I don't know if it was the first time they used planes over Serbia.

What about Serbian planes trying to attack AH ground targets?

[CiviC]

I'm trying to write a story of World War 1 from the eyes of an Austrian soldier

Depends ... was he German Austrian, Hungarian, Czech, Croatian, Romanian ...?

[EmperorBatman999]

Depends ... was he German Austrian, Hungarian, Czech, Croatian, Romanian ...?

German Austrian.