Causes of World War 1
Alliances: The Triple Alliance - Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy ; The Triple Entente - France, Britain, and Russia
Militarism: Germany was competing with the UK to build battleships; The British feared an attack on their empire.
Imperialism: All of the great powers were competing for colonies; The British wanted to keep Germany out of Africa; The Austrians wanted to keep Serbia and Russia out of the Balkans
Nationalism: This was an age were all nations wanted to assert their power and independence; In Europe, Slavs, aided by Serbia and Russia, wanted to be free of Austrian rule.
Militarism: Germany was competing with the UK to build battleships; The British feared an attack on their empire.
Imperialism: All of the great powers were competing for colonies; The British wanted to keep Germany out of Africa; The Austrians wanted to keep Serbia and Russia out of the Balkans
Nationalism: This was an age were all nations wanted to assert their power and independence; In Europe, Slavs, aided by Serbia and Russia, wanted to be free of Austrian rule.
The Assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand
It was a warm and radiant Sunday morning when Ferdinand's motorcade made its way through the narrow streets of Sarajevo. Waiting for him along the designated route were seven assassins armed with bombs and revolvers. The first would-be assassin did nothing, but the next man in line had more resolve and threw a bomb into the open car. Glancing off Ferdinand's arm, the bomb exploded near another vehicle and injured dozens of spectators Trying to kill himself, the bomb thrower swallowed cyanide and jumped into a nearby river. The old poison only made him vomit, and the river was too shallow for drowning.
Undeterred, Ferdinand went to a reception at city hall; after the reception he instructed his driver to take him to the hospital where those wounded in the earlier attack were being treated. While Ferdinand was on his way to the hospital, a young Bosnian Serb named Gavrilo Princip lunged at the archduke's car and fired a revolver. The first bullet blew a gaping hole in the side of Ferdinand's neck. A second bullet intended for the governor of Bosnia went wild and entered the stomach of the expectant Duchess Sophie, the wife of the archduke. By the time medical aid arrived, the archduke and duchess were dead.
Undeterred, Ferdinand went to a reception at city hall; after the reception he instructed his driver to take him to the hospital where those wounded in the earlier attack were being treated. While Ferdinand was on his way to the hospital, a young Bosnian Serb named Gavrilo Princip lunged at the archduke's car and fired a revolver. The first bullet blew a gaping hole in the side of Ferdinand's neck. A second bullet intended for the governor of Bosnia went wild and entered the stomach of the expectant Duchess Sophie, the wife of the archduke. By the time medical aid arrived, the archduke and duchess were dead.