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How did World War I start?

Anwar Lamberteschi

Well, well, well, let me take you down memory lane to the early 1900s, precisely on June 28, 1914. It was a beautiful day in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, were on a state visit. Unfortunately, their peaceful visit was cut short by Gavrilo Princip, a member of the black hand secret society, who assassinated them.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, ignited a series of diplomatic crises amongst European powers that eventually led to the start of World War I. Austria-Hungary, who blamed Serbia for the assassination, gave Serbia an ultimatum that demanded its compliance to specific measures to control its public discourse.

Serbia's response was insufficient, causing Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia on July 28, 1914. Russia, who had an alliance with Serbia, mobilized its troops ready to aid Serbia, causing Germany, who had an alliance with Austria-Hungary, to declare war on Russia.

The war spiraled out of control as countries started picking sides. Germany initiated the Schlieffen Plan, a military strategy aimed to avoid a two-front war with France and Russia. The plan involved an attack on neutral Belgium, a country that Britain had pledged to protect in the event of an attack.

Britain was forced to declare war on Germany on August 4, 1914, after Germany ignored their ultimatum to withdraw from Belgium. The war exploded with each country fighting for superiority, and new alliances were formed.

However, the war had deeper roots than the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. It was a result of rising nationalism, imperialism, and militarism. The governments of Europe had been competing for imperialistic power through colonization, and the tensions between these countries continued to mount after several arms races and alliances formed.

World War I was a result of increasing tensions amongst European powers and their desire for power and control. It's a dark part of history that teaches us to value peace, diplomacy and the importance of avoiding unnecessary confrontations.