Reasons for War
The First World War began in 1914 between the Central Powers of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey, and the Allies, which included Great Britain, France, and Russia. It began when Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia after the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a Serbian Nationalist.
Though the death of Archduke Ferdinand set the war in motion, the stage was set for war many years prior to the assassination. Large industrialized world powers like France, Great Britain, Russia, and Germany made decisions based on national interests. They built powerful militaries to defend those interests. During the late 1800s, the larger European countries began to compete for land in Africa and Asia to expand. Adversarial relationships between the countries emerged. Alliances also formed out of a need for mutual protection.
After the death of Archduke Ferdinand, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Alliances began to mobilize until the Allies were fighting a war against the Central Powers.
