What event set the First World War into motion?

Answer 1

The events leading up to WWI are commonly referred to as a Keg of Gunpowder, meaning that all that was required for war to break out was one 'spark', or controversial event. Said event took the form of the assassination of Arch-duke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary. The assassination was orchestrated by a Nationalist terrorist group known as the Black Hand.

Austria-Hungary believed that their neighbour Serbia had a hand in either supplying or supporting the Black Hand as a whole, and in response to the assassination, demanded that Serbia bring the assassins to justice. This demand was a Catch-22, in that if Serbia agreed, the act would nullify Serbias sovereignty, and if it refused to comply, both countries would be dragged into a war.

Knowing that Serbia had slavic ties to Russia, but not believing that Russia would be dragged into the war, Austria-Hungary sought reassurance from their ally Germany that, were Russia to react to Austria-Hungary's war with Serbia, that Germany would intervention.

Unsatisfied with Serbia's response (or lack thereof) to their ultimatum, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on 28 July 1914.

Russia, bound by treaty to Serbia, announced mobilisation of its vast army in her defence, a slow process that would take around six weeks to complete.

Germany, allied to Austria-Hungary by treaty, viewed the Russian mobilisation as an act of war against Austria-Hungary, and after scant warning declared war on Russia on 1 August.

France, bound by treaty to Russia, found itself at war against Germany and, by extension, on Austria-Hungary following a German declaration on 3 August. Germany was swift in invading Southern Belgium, so as to reach Paris by the shortest possible route.

Britain, allied to France by a more loosely worded treaty which placed a "moral obligation" upon her to defend France, declared war against Germany on 4 August. Her reason for entering the conflict lay in another direction: she was obligated to defend neutral Belgium by the terms of a 75 year old treaty. With Germany's invasion of Belgium on 4 August, and the Belgian King's appeal to Britain for assistance, Britain entered the war later that day. Like France, she was by extension also at war with Austria-Hungary.

With Britain's entry into the war, her colonies and dominions abroad variously offered military and financial assistance, and included Australia, Canada, India, New Zealandand the Union of South Africa.

United States President Woodrow Wilson declared that the United States would remain neutral, an official stance that would last until 1917 when Germany's policy of unrestricted submarine warfare - which seriously threatened America's commercial shipping (which was in any event almost entirely directed towards the Allies led by Britain and France) - forced the U.S. to enter the war.

Japan, honouring a military agreement with Britain, declared war on Germany on 23 August 1914. Two days later Austria-Hungary responded by declaring war on Japan.

Italy, although allied to both Germany and Austria-Hungary, was able to avoid entering the conflict by citing a clause enabling it to evade its obligations to both. In short, Italy was committed to defend Germany and Austria-Hungary only in the event of a 'defensive' war; arguing that their actions were 'offensive' she declared instead a policy of neutrality. The following year, in May 1915, she finally joined the war by siding with the Allies against her two former allies.

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There was no single event that started World War 1. There were many events, which over time, led to the massive breakout of World War 1.

Many claim that the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, done by a gang named "The Black Hand" while Ferdinand visited Serbia, started all of the chaos. However, had Germany not given Austria the blank check (which basically informed Austria of Germany's friendship in case of any wars), Russia would not have come to the aid of Serbia and entered the war. If Germany had not entered neutral Belgium (which violated an unwritten law of Europe), Great Britain and France would have not been involved.

Thus, there was not one single event, but multiple events that ultimately led to the total war known as World War 1.

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