Description
The beginning of the 20th century was a period of rapid industrialisation and modernisation for Europe. Just when it seemed that the world had moved on from violent conflicts and bloody invasions towards a more civilized society, a minor incident would start a war which would engulf almost the entire Europe and greater part of Asia. World War 1 began in the year 1914 and ended up with the allied victory over axis powers but it came at a cost of death of 16 million people and much destruction of property.
Tensions were brewing in Europe, especially in the south eastern area which is known as the Balkans, even before the war broke out. Majors powers like the Ottoman Turkish empire and Russian empire were majorly at peace with each other but the political instability of the balkans threatened that peace. The spark which ignited a full scale war later on was the assassination of the Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand. He was the heir to Austro-Hungarian empire. He was shot dead along with his wife -Sophie by a Serbian nationalist in June of 1914. The assassin and other nationalists of Serbia were looking to end the Austro-Hungarian rule over Bosnia-Herzegovina. This murder caused a chain of event to be followed rapidly. The Austro-Hungarians saw this murder as a way to put the blame on Serbia and its nationalist sentiments.
During that time Serbia has full support of Russia therefore Austro-Hungary waited to declare war on Serbia until they themselves had received a backup by German ruler Kaiser Wilhelm 2. Russia's intervention in Austria-Hungary's war against Serbia would also invite Russia's then ally, France and Britain. On July 15, Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany pledged full support in support of Austria-Hungary and issued a so called "Carte blanche" or a blank check. Austria-Hungary sent an ultimatum to Serbia with very harsh terms. Unable to accept the demands Serbia approached Russia and prepared for a full fledged war. The peace between European powers quickly collapsed. Within a week, Russia, Belgium, France, Great Britain and Serbia had lined up against Austria Hungary, Germany and the Turkish Ottoman Empire.
Looking back at the events we come to see that how a single assassination of an heir to throne and his wife, a practice common at that time, would lead to a battle so fierce and bloody that would change the future of the planet.
