<Li> July 6: Germany provides unconditional support to Austria - Hungary--the so - called "blank check". </Li> <Li> July 20--23: French President Raymond Poincaré, on state visit to the Tsar at St Petersburg, urges intransigent opposition to any Austrian measure against Serbia . </Li> <Li> July 23: Austria - Hungary, following their own secret enquiry, sends an ultimatum to Serbia, containing their demands, and gives only forty - eight hours to comply . </Li> <Li> July 24: Sir Edward Grey, speaking for the British government, asks that Germany, France, Italy and Great Britain, "who had no direct interests in Serbia, should act together for the sake of peace simultaneously ." </Li>

Conditions that led to the outbreak of the first world war