Question

The Austrians were trying for long to control the Serbian rebellion brewing in Bosnia against Austrian rule in the region. How did this cause become a reason for triggering the First World War?

Answer 1

Instructions: Focus on the situation of distrust in Europe and the formation of alliances. Use terms such as militarism and even imperialism. Link the alliances and imperialism to the assasination and how that became a trigger point for war.

Solution:Even before the start of the war, there were political events taking place in Europe where major industrial powers were competing for power and territorial control through imperialism;

• The Austrian crown gained control over the Bosnia region and this led to the Serbians revolting against the rule.
• Political alliances were also being formed in Europe in case conflict broke out under militarism.
• On June 28, 1914 when the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated by a serbian national it brought the two major alliances Triple Entente and Triple Alliance into confrontation with each other.

Therefore the asssasination itself became the trigger point for the start of the war between the major industrialised powers of Europe in 1914.