Germany Declares War on Russia: WWI Ignites
Germany declared war on Russia on August 1, 1914, setting in motion the Schlieffen Plan, which required a rapid invasion of France through Belgium before Russia could fully mobilize. Kaiser Wilhelm II signed the mobilization order and reportedly said, "You will regret this, gentlemen." Germany's declaration forced France to mobilize in response, and within three days German troops crossed the Belgian border. Switzerland, surrounded by warring nations, called up its entire militia. The declaration transformed what had been a Balkan crisis between Austria and Serbia into a continental war involving the world's five largest armies. Over the next four years, the war would kill 10 million soldiers and reshape every border in Europe.
August 1, 1914
112 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on August 1
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