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64 '''Austria's affair what she thinks fit to do in this matter. Afterwards they will say, if things go wrong, ‘Germany would not let us!’ Tschirschky must kindly avoid this nonsense. Serbia must be settled with, and that soon.—W.]'''

“Above all things, people must be clear as to what it is they want, for all the sentiments I have heard expressed up to the present have been very confused. Then the possible outcome of each course of action must be carefully weighed, and Austria-Hungary must realize that she does not stand alone in the world, and that besides consideration due to her Allies she must take into account, in relation to all Serbian questions, the general situation in Europe, and especially the attitude of Italy and Rumania. [All this is obvious, and mere platitudes.—W.]”

This document came back from the Kaiser to the Foreign Office on July 4th. Thus we see that even at that stage, and before Austria had made a demand of any description whatever, William was resolved that “the Serbians must be settled with, and that soon.”

The idea which has found much support in Gooss's book, that Germany was merely dragged into the Serbian crisis in the wake of Austria, in whom she had confided too much, falls wholly to the ground.