The First World War was precipitated by the assassination of the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, Archduke Francis Ferdinand. In this context, describe the following:

(a) Sarajevo Crisis.

(b) Why did the USA join the First World War?

(c) What was the impact of the War on Austria-Hungary?

(a) Sarajevo Crisis was the immediate cause of the First World War.

1. Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary was assassinated at Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia on June 28, 1914.
2. The assassination was organised by a secret society called 'Black Hand' or 'Union of Death' formed by extremist Serbian nationalists whose aim was to unite all Serbians into a single Serbian State.
3. Austria served an ultimatum on Serbia on July 23 making eleven demands.
4. Serbia accepted most of the demands except those that would have led to the loss of her sovereignty.
5. Austria declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914. Russia started preparation for war to support Serbia.
6. On August 1, 1914 Germany declared war on Russia and France.
7. German troops marched into Belgium to press on to France on August 4 and on the same day Britain declared war on Germany.
8. Many other countries soon entered the War.

(b) In 1915, the German U-Boats had sunk a British ship Lusitania.

1. Among the 1153 passengers killed, 128 were Americans.
2. The Americans were generally sympathetic to Britain, and this incident further roused anti-German feelings in the USA.
3. The Allied Powers had raised vast amounts of loans in the USA to pay for the arms and other goods bought by them.
4. Therefore the USA feared that if Germany won the war, she would become a serious rival to the USA.
5. On 6 April, 1917, the United States of America declared war on Germany.

(c) The impact of the War on Austria-Hungary was as follows-

1. Austria-Hungary was broken up and two separate kingdoms of Austria and Hungary were set-up.
2. Austria had to cede territories to Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Poland and was forced to accept their independence.
3. Italy also gained certain territories (such as Tyrol) from Austria.
4. Austrian army was reduced to 30,000.
5. Austria was also forced to pay a huge war-indemnity.