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Outbreak of WWI

Definition

The outbreak of World War I refers to the series of events that led to the start of the First World War in 1914. It was triggered by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary, and escalated due to a complex web of alliances, rivalries, and tensions among European powers.

Analogy

Think about it like a domino effect in a game. The assassination was like knocking over the first domino (Franz Ferdinand), which set off a chain reaction (escalating conflicts) leading to all dominos (European countries) falling into war.

Related terms

Alliance System: This is an agreement between two or more countries to help each other out when needed. In context of WWI, various alliances such as Triple Entente and Central Powers played significant roles in escalating the conflict.

Nationalism: This is strong devotion for one's nation. It can lead to intense competition and conflict between nations with different ideologies or interests. Nationalism was one key factor that fueled WWI.

Militarism: This refers to belief or desire that a country should maintain strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively. Militarism was another major cause behind escalation of WWI.