Secret alliances, competition for land, and thirst for power all played a part in the start of the Great War. The tensions were ignited with
the assasination Archduke Franz Ferdinand, an heir to the Austrian Throne by a Serbian militant in July of 1914. Austria-Hungary promptly declared war on Serbia.
It escalated into a global conflict because other countries signed treaties that obligated them to fight on the other nation's behalf.
Germany sided with Austria-Hungary and were called the Central Powers. Great Britain, France, and Russia (and later the U.S.) were known
were known as the Allied Powers.
Diplomacy Attempted
Initially, Austria issued an ultimatum to Serbia regarding ten points. It was meant to be an insult; however, Serbia agreed to most of the
demands. Within less than an hour after hearing Serbia's response, Austria closed its embassy in that country and declared war in three days.
At the end of the war, the Allies refused to negotiate with Kaiser Willhelm II because they said they wanted to deal with the German people.
Generals Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff persuaded the Kaiser to establish a constitutional monarchy. Germany formed a new Parlaiment
with Prince Max von Baden as its chancellor.
Main Events
Most of the battles took place on the Western Front. Americans mostly fought in France. This war saw the emergence of technology
in warfare, chemical weapons, and trench warfare. For the first time battles were fought in the air. Zepplins and planes dropped bombs on
the enemy. To learn more of the main events in the Great War, follow the links below. |
