Published 15:17 IST, July 28th 2020
WWI started on this day in 1914 after Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia
Not handed a “proper response” to the assassination and amid heightened tensions with Serbia in the Balkans, Austria declared war on Serbia that led to WWI.
On this day in 1914, the World War I called as “The War to End All Wars” commenced a month after the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and his wife were killed by a Serbian nationalist that caused ‘July Crisis of 1914’. Not handed a “proper response” to the assassination and amid heightened tensions with Serbia in the Balkans region of Europe, Austria-Hungary backed by its ally Germany declared war on Serbia. The conflict marked the beginning of WWI as Serbia’s ally Russia and France jumped into the military standoff flaring the most devastating war history has ever witnessed.
As per reports, the famous editorial by the broadcasters in the year 1914 that read “War Madness” blamed the German militarism and the European nations’ diplomatic disputes for the “terrible catastrophe”. The official declaration of war by Austria and its acquisition of Serbian territory and the outbreak of the Balkans Conflict spiralled nations into WWI.
Germany ordered Vienna to “go ahead”
According to several reports that narrate the account of the 1914 war, the refusal of the German government to cooperate with the British Foreign Office for an international convention led to thaw of relations among the European nations. While Berlin, Paris, and Rome sought to moderate the conflict, Germany ordered Vienna to “go ahead” with military plans. In response, Russia mobilized the troops in four military districts on Galicia, USSR’s frontier with Austro-Hungarian territory.
While Europe and Russia locked into a military conflict, Great Britain, an ally to both Germany and Russia offered to mediate for negotiations and sworn to remain neutral but got involved in the war defending the interest of Belgium entering into the “July Crisis”. And hence, Germany declared war on Russia on 1 August and had a military conflict with France on August 3. While Germany violated Belgian neutrality, Britain entered the war on August 4 fearing Germany’s dominance on Europe. After nearly four years of wars, allied powers the United Kingdom, France, and the United States won the war, and a peace agreement with Germany, Treaty of Versailles, was signed that marked the end of WWI.
Updated 15:17 IST, July 28th 2020