Summary of How World War I Started: Crash Course World History 209

00:00:00 - 00:05:00

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 led to a series of events that eventually resulted in World War I. The war was fought quickly and brutally, with major battles taking place in Belgium, France, and Russia. Over 10 million people were killed in the war.

• 00:00:00 World War I began with an assassination of an Austrian archduke, Franz Ferdinand, in 1914. There is debate over whether Princip and his fellow assassins acted alone or as part of a larger conspiracy, but Austrian officials believed there was a wider involvement and the whole thing turned into a war. Princip was a member of the Black Hand, a group of Serbian nationalists dedicated to creating a greater Serbia that would include Bosnia. The bombs and pistols used in the assassination were supplied by a Serbian army officer. There is still some debate over whether the assassination was planned or spontaneous, but Franz Ferdinand's death led to a series of events that eventually led to World War I.
• 00:05:00 In July 1914, Austria issued an ultimatum to Serbia, and Germany, Russia, and France all declared war on each other as a result. The war was quickly and brutally fought, with the largest battles taking place in Belgium, France, and Russia. World War I was a major tragedy, with over 10 million people killed.