Causes of World War I

The First World War began due to a complex interplay of nationalism, militarism, and imperialism. In January 1919, leaders gathered in Paris to negotiate a peace treaty after a devastating conflict that claimed 9 million soldiers and millions of civilian lives. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1914, served as the immediate trigger. Tensions escalated as Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, leading to declarations of war. The war involved major alliances: the Triple Entente (France, Russia, and Britain) and the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy), with deep-rooted rivalries on the Balkan Peninsula exacerbating the situation.