Start of the War

The start of World War I in 1914 was triggered by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary. This event set off a chain reaction of alliances and rivalries among the major European powers. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, prompting Russia to support Serbia. Germany joined Austria-Hungary, while France and Britain allied with Russia. The complex web of alliances escalated a regional conflict into a global war. Nationalism, militarism, and imperialism also fueled tensions, making the outbreak of war more likely as countries prepared for conflict, leading to an unprecedented scale of warfare.