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was more and more alive to the claims of her kinsmenin Transylvania to liberation from the Magyar yoke.The divergences between Germany and Austria-Hungaryon policy towards Roumania gave Russian diplomacy anopportunity which was used skilfully. Roumania turnedher eyes from her irredenta in Bessarabia to her muchmore numerous irredenta in Hungary. When Europeanwar broke out in August 1914 the Hohenzollern kingCharles, though allied ever since 1883 with the centralpowers, could do nothing but declare neutrality. Twoyears later Roumania entered the war on the side ofRussia and her allies.(iv) Sefbia and Montenegro continued to be even moreclosely tied with Russia in self-defence against Austria-Hungary. In Russian eyes, "our fundamental task is toguarantee the political and economic emancipation ofSerbia" (Sazonov).The fundamental reason for the beginning of war inAugust 1914 was the inability or refusal of the Austriansand Magyars to solve their nationality problems, aboveall, the Jugoslav question. The internal structure of theDual Monarchy was precarious in the extreme and itscontinued existence in doubt when at long last FrancisJoseph should die (b. 1830, reigned 1848-1916). TheBallplatz and the Wilhelmstrasse did not always workhand in hand in 1912-14, but the two general staffs werein agreement as to automatic mutual support, and theemperor William II had made his attitude on Serbiaclear to Vienna: "The Slavs were not born to rule butto serve. This they must be taught. ... I stand behindyou and am ready to draw the sword when your actionmakes it necessary " (1913).These were typically rash words; nevertheless, sinceGermany considered the safety of her one secure ally asessential to her, she was bound in the last resort to supporther in arms. Vienna and Budapest regarded Serbia,the Piedmont of the Jugoslav movement, as fatal to thesafety of the Dual Monarchy, though they differed as tothe exact means of rendering her innocuous. Thereckoning against her was precipitated in July 1914 bythe murder of the heir-apparent, the archduke Francis419