1. Assassination and the Chain Reaction
WORLD WAR I
1914 to 1918
Assassination and the Chain Reaction

2. The Spark That Ignited World War I: The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

3. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the heir to the throne (next in line to rule) of the Austro-Hungarian Empire

4. A. BOSNIA: A SOURCE OF CONTENTION
Bosnia was annexed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire several years before the war; Bosnia contained many ethnic Serbs in its population
Therefore, Serbia wanted to free Bosnia from the Austro-Hungarian Empire; the Serbs wanted to merge with Bosnia and form a great Slavic nation in the Balkans

5. Ferdinand’s visit, which had the goal of improving Austria’s relations with Bosnia, directly conflicted with Serbia’s goal

6. TENSIONS BETWEEN AUSTRIA AND SERBIA
Many Serbians worried that the Archduke’s visit would lead to an invasion of Serbia
Serbia and Bosnia were both hotbeds for Slavic radicals who wanted a unified Slavic state in the Balkans

7. A DOCUMENT WITH THE SYMBOL OF THE BLACK HAND
Serbian military officers created a secret group called the Black Hand
The Black Hand often used the services of young Serbs and other Slavs who were willing to use violence to create a new Slavic nation free of Austria

8. THE ARCHDUKE’S REAL PLANS
In reality, the Archduke did not want war with Serbia
The Archduke also planned on giving Bosnia higher status within the Austro-Hungarian Empire

9. Speaking at a banquet dinner, he said, “What do we have to gain from a war with Serbia? We send our young men to die, we spend money we can use elsewhere, and what would we get from victory? A few plum trees, fields filled with goat droppings, and a nation of rebellious killers!”

10. THE ARCHDUKE’S REAL PLANS
This is not what the Serbs, who desired to unify with Bosnia, wanted
If Bosnia had higher status within the Empire, they would have no motivation for joining with Serbia

11. The Black Hand marked Archduke Franz Ferdinand for death
This peaceful plan for Bosnia made him a target of the radical Serbs, who had their own plans for Bosnia
The Black Hand marked Archduke Franz Ferdinand for death

12. ARCHDUKE FRANZ FERDINAND AND HIS WIFE SOPHIE IN SARAJEVO

13. B. JUNE 28, 1914
One of the assassins was 19 year old student Gavrilo Princip, who was armed with a pistol. Disappointed over the failure to kill Ferdinand, Gavrilo went to a nearby café to have lunch and ponder his next move
THREE OF THE ASSASSINS IN A BELGRADE PARK; GAVRILO PRINCIP IS ON THE RIGHT

14. A WRONG TURN LEADS TO DISASTER
MAP OF THE WRONG TURN
THE ARCHDUKE’S CAR MAKING THAT FATEFUL WRONG TURN
The Archduke’s car makes it way down Appel Quay. The chauffeur made a wrong turn onto Franz Joseph Street. One of the Archduke’s staff called out, “Turn around! You’re going the wrong way!” The driver stopped to turn the car around. As fate would have it, they stopped in front of the café where none other than Gavrilo Princip was having lunch. Princip cannot believe his eyes, but doesn’t hesitate and springs into action.

15. THE ASSASSINATION

16. Gavrilo Princip fired two shots from his pistol
One shot struck Sophie in the stomach and the other struck Ferdinand in the neck
Gavrilo Princip fired two shots from his pistol
When she saw her wounded husband, Sophie screamed, “My God! What has happened to you?” before collapsing from her own wound
A crowd of police and onlookers pounced on Gavrilo; he was disarmed, beaten, and taken away

17. THE ASSASSINATION
Ferdinand cried out, “Sophie! Sophie! Don’t die! Stay alive for the sake of our children!”
An aide said to the bleeding Ferdinand, “Your Highness, are you suffering?”
Blood spurted from his mouth as he weakly said, “It is nothing.” He then collapsed
The car sped to the hospital, but both of them died from internal bleeding

18. Princip was immediately arrested after the assassination
Gavrilo Princip
A 19 year old Serbian nationalist and member of the terrorist group,
The Black Hand
Princip was immediately arrested after the assassination

20. C. THE ASSASSINATION TRIGGERS A CHAIN REACTION
The Austrians blamed the Serbian government for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Germany pledged its full support to its ally Austria-Hungary, encouraging them to take action
Germany gave its ally a “diplomatic blank check” (this means that Austria-Hungary could do what it wanted with Serbia, and the Germans guaranteed that they would back Austria-Hungary up)

21. THE KAISER URGES THE AUSTRIANS TO TAKE ACTION
Said Kaiser Wilhelm II:
“The Serbs were born to serve, not to rule. This must be brought home to them.”

22. AN AUSTRIAN POSTER THAT READS “SERBIA MUST DIE!”

23. THE ASSASSINATION TRIGGERS A CHAIN REACTION
Austria-Hungary issued a harsh and unreasonable list of demands to Serbia, which Serbia consented to mostly
Unsatisfied, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914; they planned to make an example of Serbia
Russia had already promised to support Serbia (its Slavic brother state); as a result of this declaration of war on Serbia, Russia mobilized its armed forces

24. THE ARMY OF THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN EMPIRE PREPARES TO INVADE

25. AUSTRIAN SOLDIERS EXECUTE SERBIAN CIVILIANS AFTER THEY INVADE

26. THE CHAIN REACTION CONTINUES
Austria-Hungary prepares to invade Serbia, but this action won’t remain a local conflict between two neighboring countries for very long
Germany threatened war with Russia if it would not demobilize its forces against the Austro-Hungarians
In response to this threat against its ally Russia, France mobilized its armed forces against Germany

27. THE CHAIN REACTION CONTINUES
Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Russia and France, and vice versa
Germany invaded a neutral country, Belgium, to attack France
Britain had always guaranteed Belgium’s neutrality, so Britain declared war on Germany
World War I begins on August 4th, 1914

29. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia & its ally Russia
World War I Begins
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia & its ally Russia
On August 4, 1914, England declared war on Germany & Austria-Hungary
On August 1, 1914, Germany declared war on Russia
Russia mobilized for war to protect Serbia
…and joined the Allies
On August 3, 1914, Germany declared war on France
Italy backed out of its agreement with Germany & Austria-Hungary…
On July 28,1914, Serbia declined the ultimatum
World War I had begun

30. LIKE DOMINOES FALLING, ONE BY ONE
9th: BRITAIN DECLARES WAR ON GERMANY
10th: THE GREAT WAR BEGINS ON AUG 4, 1914
8th: GERMANY INVADES BELGIUM TO ATTACK FRANCE
5th: RUSSIA DECLARES WAR ON A-H EMPIRE
6th: GERMANY DECLARES WAR ON RUSSIA
7th: FRANCE AND GERMANY DECLARE WAR
4th: A-H EMPIRE DECLARES WAR ON SERBIA
3rd: A-H EMPIRE MAKES DEMANDS OF SERBIA
2nd: GERMANY BACKS A-H EMPIRE
1st: ASSASSINATION ON JUNE 14, 1914

31. When War Breaks Out, Names and Alliances Change
ALLIED POWERS (formerly the Triple Entente)
CENTRAL POWERS (formerly the Triple Alliance)
BRITAIN
GERMANY
FRANCE
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY
RUSSIA
ITALY
OTTOMAN EMPIRE

32. ENTANGLED ALLIANCES

33. THE EUROPEAN LEADERS OF THE TIME
ALLIED POWERS
CENTRAL POWERS
Wilhelm II GERMANY
Nicholas II RUSSIA
George V BRITAIN
Victor Emmanuel II ITALY
Enver Pasha OTTOMAN EMPIRE
Franz Josef AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN EMPIRE
Pres. Poincare FRANCE

34. WHO STARTED THE WAR?

35. From this point, Europe and then the world becomes embroiled in The Great War (later called World War I), one of the two bloodiest conflicts in human history

36. And remember the words of Otto von Bismarck, the man whose policies helped shape Europe at the time…
“If there will ever be another major war in Europe, it will probably come from some damned foolish thing in the Balkans.”