The limited-war clique reasoned that it would actually reduce the danger of European complications if Austria-Hungary confronted the world with a military fait accompli in Serbia. Russia would protest and France would growl, but with Germany making it plain to them that she was standing by her ally, they would back down again as they had done in 1909. If worse came to worst, England would remain neutral, while Italy, in accordance with her obligations under the Triple Alliance, and even neutral Rumania, would join the Central Powers. Events soon demonstrated that all the premises underlying
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