1914: the outbreak of World War I

1914: The Outbreak of the Great War

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1914 is the year Europe plunged into the most devastating conflict in its history.

1. The Assassination at Sarajevo

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On 28 June 1914, Bosnian Serb student Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife in Sarajevo. The spark that ignited the powder keg.

2. The Domino Effect

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Austria declared war on Serbia → Russia mobilized → Germany declared war on Russia and France → Germany invaded Belgium → Britain declared war on Germany. Within weeks, almost all of Europe was at war.

3. Trench Warfare

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The German advance was stopped at the Battle of the Marne. Both sides dug trenches stretching 700 km from the North Sea to Switzerland. An attack meant running into machine gun fire for a few meters of ground.

4. Italy’s Entry (1915)

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Italy declared neutrality in 1914. The country split between neutralists and interventionists. On 24 May 1915, Italy entered the war on the Entente’s side via the secret Treaty of London.

Conclusion

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1914 marked the end of the Belle Époque and the beginning of an era of destruction. What was supposed to be a “quick war” became a four-year massacre.