It's not just Germany and Russia that are facing difficult choices, but also the British, who are seemingly unrelated to this war.
As early as the day Austria-Hungary issued the ultimatum to Serbia, the British Government urgently convened a meeting to discuss the implications of this event for Britain and the stance Britain should take.
In the usual course of events, if Austria-Hungary's ultimatum could trigger a major war with Russia, it would certainly be beneficial for the British.
The United Kingdom only needs to support Austria-Hungary from behind to simultaneously weaken the military strength of two major powers. Particularly important for the British is to weaken Russia's military strength.
As long as Russia can be defeated, for at least the next 10 years, Russia will no longer have the capability to expand in East Asia and the Balkan Peninsula.
