The first World War 1914 – 1918
Debate on how the first world war started.
1. Some blame the alliance system in 1914 for dragging the major powers
into the war because each government felt that they had to stick to their
agreement
2. Some blame Germany for encouraging Austria-Hungary to declare war on
Serbia, knowing the Serbia’s Slav population was supported by Russia
There had been no major war in Europe for a hundred years but in 1914 the
tensions turned to war
1914
28 June Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated by
a Serb nationalist – Gavrilo Princip
28 July The Austrian government blamed Serbia and therefore
declared war on them. Serbia was bound by treaty with
Russia. The Russian government announced a general
mobilization of its army in its defense
1 August Germany allied with Austria saw this as a threat and declared
war on Russia
3 August The German High Command had put in place the Schlieffen
Plan to avoid war on two fronts, France, and Russia
4 August The German army moved quickly through Belgium and
France to reach Paris in six weeks. Belgium asked Britain for
help and by the 1839 treaty that guarded Belgium neutrality
Britain declared war
The warfare was not confined to land, from the start the struggle at sea was
fierce as each side tried to stare the other by blockade (a form of economic
warfare where one country attempts to prevent goods being imported to its
rival)
Air space become a zone of combat – in 1914 the major powers had just over
100 planes each
Debate on how the first world war started.
1. Some blame the alliance system in 1914 for dragging the major powers
into the war because each government felt that they had to stick to their
agreement
2. Some blame Germany for encouraging Austria-Hungary to declare war on
Serbia, knowing the Serbia’s Slav population was supported by Russia
There had been no major war in Europe for a hundred years but in 1914 the
tensions turned to war
1914
28 June Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated by
a Serb nationalist – Gavrilo Princip
28 July The Austrian government blamed Serbia and therefore
declared war on them. Serbia was bound by treaty with
Russia. The Russian government announced a general
mobilization of its army in its defense
1 August Germany allied with Austria saw this as a threat and declared
war on Russia
3 August The German High Command had put in place the Schlieffen
Plan to avoid war on two fronts, France, and Russia
4 August The German army moved quickly through Belgium and
France to reach Paris in six weeks. Belgium asked Britain for
help and by the 1839 treaty that guarded Belgium neutrality
Britain declared war
The warfare was not confined to land, from the start the struggle at sea was
fierce as each side tried to stare the other by blockade (a form of economic
warfare where one country attempts to prevent goods being imported to its
rival)
Air space become a zone of combat – in 1914 the major powers had just over
100 planes each
