<P> In addition, German diplomacy before, during, and after the Second Balkan War was pro-Greek and pro-Romanian and in opposition to Austria - Hungary's increasingly pro-Bulgarian views . The result was tremendous damage to Austro - German relations . Austrian foreign minister Leopold von Berchtold remarked to German ambassador Heinrich von Tschirschky in July 1913 that "Austria - Hungary might as well belong' to the other grouping' for all the good Berlin had been". </P> <P> In September 1913, it was learned that Serbia was moving into Albania and Russia was doing nothing to restrain it, while the Serbian government would not guarantee to respect Albania's territorial integrity and suggested there would be some frontier modifications . In October 1913, the council of ministers decided to send Serbia a warning followed by an ultimatum: that Germany and Italy be notified of some action and asked for support, and that spies be sent to report if there was an actual withdrawal . Serbia responded to the warning with defiance and the Ultimatum was dispatched on October 17 and received the following day . It demanded that Serbia evacuate Albanian territory within eight days . Serbia complied, and the Kaiser made a congratulatory visit to Vienna to try to fix some of the damage done earlier in the year . </P> <P> By this time, Russia had mostly recovered from its defeat in the Russo - Japanese War, and the calculations of Germany and Austria were driven by a fear that Russia would eventually become too strong to be challenged . Their conclusion was that any war with Russia had to occur within the next few years in order to have any chance of success . </P> <P> The original Franco - Russian alliance was formed to protect both France and Russia from a German attack . In the event of such an attack both states would mobilize in tandem, placing Germany under the threat of a two - front war . However, there were limits placed on the alliance so that it was essentially defensive in character . </P>

Causes and effects of the first world war