On February 15, 1889, Austria-Hungary officially declared to the outside world that since Serbia refused to cooperate with Austria-Hungary in capturing the rebels, Austria-Hungary and Serbia were henceforth in a state of war.
War has been declared!
When Austria-Hungary issued the ultimatum, many countries believed that Austria-Hungary would declare a state of war at the expiration of the ultimatum.
After all, the so-called ultimatum is a double-edged sword. As the saying goes, "the arrow is on the string and must be released." Once a country issues an ultimatum to another, it indicates that the issuing country is prepared for war.
When the other side refuses one's demands, one must use war as a means to forcibly compel the other side to agree to one's demands.
If the ultimatum is rejected and war is not declared, such behavior would not only be ridiculed by the governments of various countries but also condemned by the domestic public.
