On this day in August 1914, Germany declares war on Russia and France mobilizes.

Receiving no response to their ultimatum of the day before, asking the Russians to cancel their mobilization, the Imperial German government declares war on the massive Tsarist empire.

The Austro-Hungarians realising, far too late, that they are now likely to be involved in a two-front war (one with the Serbs the other with Russia) is busy shifting its focus of mobilization from south to north all with predictably catastrophic results.

Meanwhile, Russia’s entente ally France, has ordered its own mobilization. It is an open secret in the Chancelleries of Europe that Germany’s war planning is predicated on delivering a mighty knockout blow to the west before turning to face the massive Russian steamroller to the east.

This is a conflict, if not long sought in France certainly long envisaged. France is less populous than Germany but can field nearly as many men as it introduced three-year national service to give itself a huge initial well of reserves.

In Britain, the mood is one of deep anxiety and alarm; but the Liberal government of Prime Minister Asquith is still not set to join the fray. Chancellor David Lloyd George would later say that at this point there were only two members of the British cabinet who were pro-intervention. However, the invasion of Belgium would change all that.

WW1 is one of the great break points in history. Nothing was the same after the events of 1914-1918 and we are still feeling the reverberations today. For many, one of Sophie’s Great War Tours trips is an ideal way of understanding the reality of this most bloody and significant of conflicts. Guests can follow the story of a loved one, a particular battle or be given an overview of the whole conflict. There is no better way to understand the war that shaped the modern world.