belief was incorrect: the Chancellor was more sceptical, which indirectly led to the outbreak of World War I. But by 29 July he was "very depressed" that Austria's Note policy of duality had hastened war. After the war, Jagow attributed deeper reasons for the outbreak of war to "this damned system of alliances." He had tried before war's outbreak to persuade the Chancellor to allow a debate the Reichstag on war aims in 1916, but a veto was imposed, and a ban on all criticism of the government. Long conferences with the Chancellor and Kaiser did nothing to change his mood. He wrongly believed Britain would respect Germany's access to Rotterdam, part of the catalogue of grievances that caused the war. Consequently, he was perceived as "weak" link in a weak government before being replaced. But he had always been aware of the French alliance with Britain. Furthermore, he made no secret of the racial Slavic nationalism threatened from Russia; as soon as her railways were complete she would invade. Jagow also indulged in taunting ally Austria as "nervous" while at the same time ignoring Serbia's pleadings for peace. He attempted to lull Britain into a false sense of security, while "cut the lines" of diplomatic communication after it was too late. In fact the fortnight's delayed response for Austria's commencement of hostilities gave Jagow the opportunity to blame Russia for starting the war. On 24 July the British thought he "quite ready to fall in with suggestion as to the four Powers working in favour of moderation at Vienna and St Petersburg" But he was already ill and exhausted from his exertions, acknowledging that Serbia was the victim of bullying. He was a member of the Foreign ministry team that denied a British offer of a Five Power Conference, they already had agreed Moltke's plan two days before Austria's declaration against Serbia on 28 July 1914. The following day Lichnowsky's cable telegram was ignored for hours, which Jagow argued was responsible for Bethmann-Hollweg's "misstep." Directing wartime foreign policy The Offensive Plan was revised by Jagow and his Chancellor and delivered to the King of the Belgians the next day as an ultimatum in a sealed envelope with a note demanding "an unequivocal answer" to Germany's demand for her troops to be allowed to march through the country on the way to France. The diminutive bureaucrat was eternally optimistic by