▁other ▁powers ▁had ▁failed ▁to ▁communicate ▁Russia ' s ▁prov ocation . ▁▁▁ ▁In ▁domestic ▁politics , ▁Beth mann - H oll weg ' s ▁record ▁was ▁also ▁mixed , ▁and ▁his ▁comprom ising ▁of ▁social ists ▁and ▁liber als ▁on ▁the ▁left ▁and ▁national ists ▁on ▁the ▁right ▁al ien ated ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁political ▁establishment . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁assass ination ▁of ▁Arch du ke ▁Franz ▁Ferdinand ▁in ▁Sar aje vo ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁June ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁Beth mann - H oll weg ▁and ▁his ▁foreign ▁minister , ▁Gott lie b ▁von ▁Jag ow , ▁were ▁instrument al ▁in ▁ass uring ▁Austria - H ung ary ▁of ▁Germany ' s ▁un cond itional ▁support , ▁regardless ▁of ▁Austria ' s ▁actions ▁against ▁Ser bia . ▁While ▁Grey ▁was ▁suggesting ▁a ▁med iation ▁between ▁Austria - H ung ary ▁and ▁Ser bia , ▁Beth mann - H oll weg ▁wanted ▁Austria - H ung ary ▁to ▁attack ▁Ser bia ▁and ▁so ▁he ▁tam per ed ▁with ▁the ▁British ▁message ▁and ▁deleted ▁the ▁last ▁line ▁of ▁the ▁letter : ▁▁ ▁When ▁the ▁Aust ro - H ung arian ▁ult imat um ▁was ▁presented ▁to ▁Ser bia , ▁Kaiser ▁Wilhelm ▁II ▁ended ▁his ▁cru ise ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁Sea ▁and ▁hurried ▁back ▁to ▁Berlin . ▁▁ ▁Beth mann - H oll weg , ▁much ▁of ▁whose ▁foreign ▁policy ▁before ▁the ▁war ▁had ▁been ▁gu ided ▁by ▁his ▁desire ▁to ▁establish ▁good ▁relations ▁with ▁Britain , ▁was ▁particularly ▁ups