What was happening in Europe 1914?

In 1914, Europe was on the brink of World War I. Tensions had been rising between the major European powers for several years, and a number of diplomatic crises had brought them to the edge of war.

The Balkan Wars

One of the main flashpoints of tension was the Balkans, a region in southeastern Europe that was home to a number of different ethnic groups. In 1912 and 1913, the Balkan Wars took place between the Ottoman Empire and various Balkan states, including Serbia, Bulgaria, and Greece. The Ottoman Empire was defeated, and its former territories in the Balkans were divided among the victors.

The Sarajevo Assassination

On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina (which had been annexed by Austria-Hungary in 1908). The assassination sparked a diplomatic crisis between Austria-Hungary and Serbia.

The Outbreak of World War I

Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding that it punish those responsible for the assassination and take measures to prevent any future such attacks. Serbia agreed to most of the demands, but refused to allow Austrian police to investigate the assassination on Serbian soil. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914.

Russia, allied with Serbia, began to mobilize its army. Germany, allied with Austria-Hungary, responded by declaring war on Russia on August 1, 1914. France, allied with Russia, declared war on Germany on August 3, 1914. World War I had begun.