- The main trigger for World War 1 was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, on June 28, 1914, by a Serbian nationalist named Gavrilo Princip.
A Tangled web of alliances
- A series of alliances between European countries, known as the Triple Entente (Britain, France, and Russia) and the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy), exacerbated tensions and made a wider conflict more likely.
Imperialism and Economic Rivalry
- Economic and political competition among European powers, fueled by imperialism and the desire for resources and colonies, contributed to rising tensions.
Balkan Power Struggle:
- The Balkans, a region in Southeastern Europe, was a hotbed of nationalist aspirations and territorial conflicts, making it a flashpoint for war.
Failure of diplomacy:
- Diplomatic efforts to resolve tensions and avert war failed, partly due to mutual distrust, miscalculations, and a sense of national pride and prestige among the European powers.