The Kaiser receives at Potsdam a special envoy from Austrian Emperor and promises the full support of Germany in the event of Austrian action against Serbia. He consults his military and naval advisers before leaving for a cruise in northern waters. This event is known as the blank cheque assurance and was a key factor in allowing the July crisis to spiral out of control as Serbia was backed by Russia which in turn was backed by France and Britain.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 07:44:44 +0000