Stuart’s Thoughts 1/26/2019

Word War 1 - Brief Synopsis

 What Started WW1 6/28/1914: - Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand,( nephew of Austria’s emperor, Franz Joseph) and his wife, Countess Sophie by a Serbian terrorist, Gavrilo Princip.

Setting : !913 Europe was a collection of fragmented nations (“empires”) that was tenuously welded together in several alliances, the central alliance primarily Germany and Austria-Hungary as well a few minor members, including an uncertain and hesitant Serbia.  The Triple Entente Alliance was composed of the remaining European nations, primarily France, Great Britain and Russia plus a number of minor players.  The Scandinavian countries, Netherlands, Switzerland and Spain remained neutral.  Many in the small country of Serbia objected to being drawn into the alliance and wanted a violent nationalist revolution.  Thus emerged Gavrilo Princip to murder the Archduke and initiate a movement that would end in an independent Yugoslavia but, as a by-product, launched a cataclysmic world war.

Complicated aftermath of the assassination led to war: i.e.,  Serbia’s refusal to accept Austria’s involvement in an investigation of the event resulted in Austria declaring war on Serbia, the entry of Russia into the fray, and Germany’s intension to invade France, a major alley of Russia were significant factors. Great Britain was drawn in when Germany showed an intention to march troops to France through neutral Belgium against its will. Perceived opportunities for territorial grabs by some of the major combatants also played a role in this complex, ambiguous, web of possible causes.  In matter of fact, no-one can say for sure exactly what it was that specifically caused the Great War.  A truly horrific and ironic situation for one of the most deadly human conflicts in history - One assassination of secondary political importance led to 40 million total casualties, 15 - 19 million deaths and 23 million wounded military personnel in a war that lasted for more than 4 years.

Side note of interest:  The formation of modern day Poland was a result of one of the reparations required following German surrender in 1918.  The northeastern quadrant of Germany was split off to form Poland.  (This history will eventually play a significant role in Hitler’s intrusions and repossession of the country in 1939, at the beginning of World War 2).