Introduction
At 11:15 am, on June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife Sophie were shot dead in the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo. The shots were fired by Gavrilo Princip, a south Slav nationalist who sought the separation of Bosnia-Herzegovina from the Hapsburg empire and the creation of a Greater Serbia. One month later, on July 28, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. With Austria-Hungary headed to war, Germany quickly declared war on Russia on August 1 and France on August 3. Britain then declared war on Germany August 4 (Haythonthwaite, 1992).
How did the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand lead to this cascading series of events? This website takes a look at the inner workings of World War One and the events that led up to the largest international crisis' of the nineteenth century. Throughout this site, we will look at the tensions building up in Europe prior to the war, along with an inside look at Austria-Hungary and the Balkan crisis. We will examine the life of assassin Gavrilo Princip and how the attack was prepared and executed. Finally, we will discuss the aftermath following the assassination, sending Europe into The Great War.
How did the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand lead to this cascading series of events? This website takes a look at the inner workings of World War One and the events that led up to the largest international crisis' of the nineteenth century. Throughout this site, we will look at the tensions building up in Europe prior to the war, along with an inside look at Austria-Hungary and the Balkan crisis. We will examine the life of assassin Gavrilo Princip and how the attack was prepared and executed. Finally, we will discuss the aftermath following the assassination, sending Europe into The Great War.