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Triple Alliance forms
During the late nineteenth century, Europe's great powers divded into two loose alliances. One of them being the Triple Alliance who included Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy -
Triple Entente forms
During the late nineteenth century, Europe's great powers divded into two loose alliances. One of them being the Triple Entente which included France, Great Britain, and Russia. -
Conscription was created
Conscription was a military draft. It had been established as a regular practice in most Western countries before 1914. -
Outbreak of War!
Militarism, nationalism, and the desire to stifle internal dissent may all have played a role in the starting of World War I. However, it was the decisions made by European leaders in response to another crisis in the Balkans in the summer of 1914 that led directly to the conflict -
Assassination in Sarajevo
Arch-duke Francais Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, and his wife Sophia, visited the Bosnian city of Sarajevo. A group of conspirators waited there in the streets. The conspirators were members of the Black Hand, a Serbian terroist organization that wanted Bosnia to be free of Austria-Hungary and to become part of a large Serbian kingdom. The morning of June 28th, 1914 a 19-year-old Bosnian Serb suceeded in shooting both the archduke and his wife. -
Rejection
Strengthened by German support, Austrian leaders sent an ultimatum to Serbia on July 23rd. In it, they made such extreme demenads that Serbia had little choice but to reject some of them in order to preserve its sovereignty. -
act of war?
Mobilization is the process of assembling troops and supplies and makiing them ready for war. In 194, mobilizarion was considered an act of war. -
Attack!
Austrian leaders wanted to attack Serbia but feared Russian intervention on Serbia's behalf, so they sought the backing of their German allies. Emperor William II of Germany and his chancellor responded with a "blank check" saying that Austria Hungary could rely on Germany's "full support" even if "matters went to the length of a war war between Austria-Hungary and Russia." Austria Hungary declared war Serbia on July 28th -
proceed with the killings!!
Based on the claim of Russia not being able to mobilize against both Germany and Austria-Hungary, the Czar ordered full mobilization of the Russian army to Germany on July 29th, knowing that Germany would consider this order an act of war. -
Germany declares war!
German governament warned Russia that it must halt its mobilization within 12 hours. When Russia ignored this warning, Germany declared war on Russia on August 1st. -
Schlieffen Plan
Under the Schlieffen plan, Germany could not mobilize its troops solely against Russia. Therefore, it declared war on France. -
Britain declares war!
Great Britain declared war on Germany, officialy violating Belgan neutrality. They were worried about keeping and maintaining there own power. -
All at war!
All the great powers of Europe were at war on August 4th 1914.