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Citizens felt they were key members of their countries, and that created a strong sense of loyalty. Support for war to protect their homelands was common in these nations. This nationalism, coupled with the Great Powers’ desire to protect their colonies, led to each nation’s buildup of its military in numbers of troops, equipment, ships, and arms. -
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In 1882 Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy formed the Triple Alliance. The objective of the alliance was to encourage co-operation against the perceived threat of Germany. -
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The people of Armenia, located on the border of present day Turkey, were a persecuted minority within the Ottoman Empire throughout its history which took place during World War 1, brought about the suffering, torture, and death of more than a million Armenians. This refugee camp shows Armenian families who have attempted to escape the horrors of genocide. -
The assassination of Ferdinand ignited tensions in Europe.The murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand outraged Austria-Hungary. Austria-Hungary was furious and, with Germany's support, declared war on Serbia on July 28. Within days, Germany declared war on Russia Serbia's ally and invaded France via Belgium, which then caused Britain to declare war on Germany -
It was greeted with enthusiasm and patriotism. Crowds in Paris celebrated France’s declaration of war. This same scene played out in all the capitals of Europe. No one anticipated the horrors that were to come. -
On July 28, 1914, one month to the day after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were killed by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, effectively beginning the First World War. -
World War I was a war characterized by multiple fronts. ... The Eastern Front was fought from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south and took over large portions of Eastern Europe. On one side was the Central Powers of Germany and Austro-Hungary and on the other side was the Russian Empire. -
By 1914, Germany had surpassed Britain as the leading industrial power in Europe. Germany’s increasing industrial strength destabilized Europe’s balance of power. -
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The sinking of the Lusitania was an important event in World War I. The death of so many innocent civilians at the hands of the Germans galvanized American support for entering the war, which eventually turned the tide in favor of the Allies. -
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On the Western Front, the Allied and Central Powers both built an elaborate network of defensive trenches. Trench warfare on the Western Front caused great destruction, but fighting eventually reached a stalemate. -