The spark that ignited World War I was struck in Sarajevo, Bosnia, where Archduke Franz Ferdinand—heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire—was shot to death along with his wife, Sophie, by the Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914.
So most historians agree that the event that started World War I was the assassination of Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28th, 1914, but beyond that, there's not a lot of agreement. Others say the war really started after Franz Ferdinand bit it, like when Germany declared war or when Russia mobilized.
The Treaty of Versailles, signed following World War I, contained Article 231, commonly known as the “war guilt clause,” which placed all the blame for starting the war on Germany and its allies.
Archduke of Austria Hungary assassinated by a Serbian in 1914. His murder was one of the causes of WW I.
nationalism, imperialism, militarism, creation of alliances (Central and Allied Powers); immediate cause: assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand (heir to Austrian throne) by a Serb on June 28, 1914.
World War I began after the assassination of Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand by South Slav nationalist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914.
One line of interpretation, promoted by German historian Fritz Fischer in the 1960s, argues that Germany had long desired to dominate Europe politically and economically, and seized the opportunity that unexpectedly opened in July 1914, making Germany guilty of starting the war.
Germany has been blamed because she invaded Belgium in August 1914 when Britain had promised to protect Belgium. However, the street celebrations that accompanied the British and French declaration of war gives historians the impression that the move was popular and politicians tend to go with the popular mood.
Germany really, really wanted a war with Russia to acquire new territory in the east, but couldn't justify it. Going to war to back its Austrian ally was more than enough and Austria had a reason to go to war with Serbia. So Germany kept pushing its ally despite calls for peace from the rest of Europe.
n July 28, 1914, one month to the day after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were killed by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, effectively beginning the First World War.
the assassination of the Austrian-Hungary Archduke Franz Ferninad on June 28th, 1914 is considered the "Spark" that started WWI. Franz Ferninand was the presumptive heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne- so his assassination started the outbreak of fighting in Europe.
World War I. (1914 - 1918) European war in which an alliance including Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and the United States defeated the alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria.