Ultimatum of July 23, 1914

The ultimatum of July 23, 1914, was a diplomatic note delivered by the Austro-Hungarian ambassador in Belgrade to the Serbian Minister of Finance. The issuance of the ultimatum is widely seen as an immediate precursor to the outbreak of World War I in August 1914. The note was Austria-Hungary's response to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Serbia-aligned perpetrators the previous month, following weeks of deliberation.

The text was meticulously constructed to be unacceptable to the Serbian government, thereby ensuring its rejection and thus adding to Austria-Hungary's casus belli. Serbia's response was dismissed by the Austro-Hungarian government.

An agreement between Austria-Hungary and its principal ally, the German Empire, had been reached as early as July 7 (see July crisis).

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