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1914 4 August – 8:02 AM Germans invade Belgium
1914 4 August – 9 AM King Alfred meets Belgian parliament
1914 4 August – German troops cross French border near Mars-La-Tour and Moineville
1914 4 August – British fleet leaves Scapa-Flo on first sweep against German raiders
1914 4 August – French General Joffre leaves for the frontier
1914 4 August – Anti-German rioting in Paris –though less than in previous days.
1914 4 August – Noon. King Alfred appeals to Britain and France for military support regarding Belgian neutrality
1914 4 August – British Cabinet meets at 11 AM after hearing of Belgian invasion and issues ultimatum to expire at midnight
1914 4 August – Whitehall filled with crowds in support of British intervention in war
1914 4 August – British ultimatum transmitted to Berlin and British Ambassador prepares to leave Berlin
1914 4 August – German Government appeals to Italians to honor treaty go unheeded
1914 4 August – Reichstag opens; speech by Kaiser (morning), stops for church services, reconvenes for German Chancellor speech (3 PM)
We are now in a position of self-defense, and necessity knows no law … The wrong — I speak openly– the wrong that we are thus doing we will make good again as soon as our military objective has been obtained … He who is as imperiled as we are, and who fights fo everything that is dear to him, he must think only of how he can hack his way out….
– war credits are approved unanimously, even by the Social Democrats
1914 4 August — Amidst thunderous applause, Premier Viviani emotionally justifies French policy to Parliament, saying “We are without reproach. We are without fear.” – war credits and emergency measures are unanimously approved – ~French troops march through Paris past cheering crowds
1914 4 August – Asquith announces to House of Commons (circa 2 PM and concurrent with Bethmann-Hollweg in Reichstag) that he has a message from King (Mobilization Proclamation) and reads terms of British ultimatum to Germany.
1914 4 August – 7 PM British ultimatum (two parts) becomes known in Berlin; British Ambassador Sir William Goaschen presents it to Bethmann-Hollweg. After an emotional interchange, Goschen bursts into tears and requires time to compose himself before leaving.
1914 4 August – circa 9 PM, British intercept German message from Berlin that Germany considers itself at war with Britain the moment the British Ambassador asked for his passport (during delivery of British ultimatum)1
914 4 August – Japanese Government proclamation preparing country for war on behalf of England (war on 23 Aug)
1914 4 August – Canadian Cabinet meeting and mobilzation of Canadian Expeditionary Force begins; reservists sail
1914 4 August – Message of appreciation sent to Canada by King George
1914 4 August – 12:00 am in Germany BRITAIN IS IN A STATE OF WAR WITH GERMANY as the British ultimatum expires – ~a mob attacks the British Embassy in Berlin
“It is estimated that there are over forty thousand Americans at present stranded in Europe, seventy-five hundred of them being in Paris. Of these fifteen hundred are without present means. ” Diary of Charles Barnard, American in Paris