The First World War is remembered very differently in Europe than here, in the United States. One reason for this is that the hardest years of the war were over by the time we began sending troops in 1918, the last year of conflict. Another major reason for this war’s significance, in my opinion, is that it ended with the closing of many centuries, even millennia, old empires and kingdoms by essentially abolishing absolute monarchies (something we never had in the United States) in the west. It was significant in Europe because it was the violent manifestation of centuries old distrusts, hatreds, and injured prides. It provides a tragic, yet conceivable wrapping up of the continent’s history.
The setting for the war first began when the German Kaiser, Wilhelm II, refused to acknowledge an alliance with Russia set up by Otto von Bismarck called the League of Three Emperors (originally consisting of the Prussian Kaiser, the Austro-Hungarian Emperor, and the Russian Tsar). He did this to favor the Austro-Hungarian Empire, who was having territorial disputes with Serbia, a Russian ally, over Austro-Hungary’s newly annexed territory of Bosnia. Russia, insulted at the betrayal of its allies, joins with France and Britain in the Triple Entente, thereby creating an exact situation which Otto Von Bismarck tried to prevent if war ever broke out, the German Empire would have to fight on two fronts. Later, an alliance was made with Italy, creating the Triple Alliance.
Serbia, bitter over the loss of Bosnia, began funding pro-Serbian terrorist groups such as the Black Hand. This made the Austro-Hungary’s newest territory seem very unstable. Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian crown, thought a tour of Bosnia would help improve loyalties and increase stability in the region. A parade including Franz Ferdinand took place on June 28, 1914 in Bosnia’s capital, Sarajevo. During this parade, two attempts were made on the Austro-Hungarian heir’s...