Events Leading to World War I

In 1878 at the Congress of Berlin after the Russo-Turkish War, Austria received control of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The majority of the inhabitants of this province, however, were of Serbian nationality and wished to be united with Serbia. Russia and Italy also objected to Austrian control of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Fear of Russia led Austria-Hungary to conclude an alliance with Germany (1879). In 1882 Chancellor Otto von Bismarck of Germany brought Italy into the alliance. This German-sponsored alliance alarmed England, France, and Russia. These three nations entered into a number of counteralliances, leading ultimately to the Triple Entente, completed in 1907.In 1914 the heir to the Hapsburg empire, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, and his wife visited Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. The royal couple was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist. Austria-Hungary, secure in the knowledge of German support, declared war upon Serbia. Because of the complicated system of alliances among the various European powers, Austria's declaration of war led rapidly to a general war in Europe–World War I.