For heaven’s sake What has happened to you? Exclaimed Sophie, the wife of Archduke Franz Ferdinand as she saw thin line of blood trailing from her husband’s mouth. “Sophie dear! Don’t die, for the sake of our children” The Archudke while sinking down saw his wife received bullet in her stomach pleaded to her and with these exclamations both of them passed away.

These were the last words uttered by royal couple on the fateful day of 28th June, 1914. This was the day when in the streets of Sarajevo seeds of first World were sown. The Archduke Franz Ferdinand, nephew of the Habsburg Emperor and heir apparent to the imperial throne, was on visit of Sarajevo with his beloved wife Sophie. On that day Serbian nationalist feeling were running extremely high as 525 years ago on the same day in 1389, the had suffered humiliating defeat in the fields of Kosovo at the hands of Ottoman Sultan Murad-I and Serbia was annexed to Ottoman Empire.

The annexation of Balkans continued till Ottomans were dispossess of their European territories following two Balkan wars (1912-1913). Turkey was finally left with small enclave of Adrianapole in Europe. These wars also gave rise to Serb nationalism. Her endeavour was to gain more territories left by the Turks. She tried to capture Albania so as to reach the coast line of Adriatic. Her efforts were, nonetheless foiled by Austria-Hungary which saw in this a design to wean her influence in the Balkans. The dual monarchy’s interference further angered Serb feeling that results in regicide.

For Austro-Hungarian Chief of Staff Conard von Hotzendorf, eager to attack the Serbia, assassination of Archduke was a ‘godsend, or rather a gift from Mars’. When the Kaiser learned the news he noted in the margin of the telegram from his ambassador in Vienna “The Serbs must be disposed of, and that right soon” Against the ambassador’s remarks that ‘only mild punishment might be imposed on the Serbia, the Kaiser wrote’ I hope not’. The German supported the Austirans through thick and thin and advised them to attack sooner the better. He added that should war between Austria and Russia prove unavoidable’ German would be at Austria side.

The Austrian leaders were quite confident that they could chastise Serbia without involving war with European powers. On July 7th their foreign minister, proposed immediate armed attack on Serbia with the aim to reduce it territorially besides making it dependent on Austria. And decisive factor was the Kaiser’s assurance two days earlier that should war between Austria-Hungry and Russia prove unavoidable, “Germany would be at their side”. These six words signaled the death knoll of caution in Vienna, and the destruction within a month of peace in Europe.

In Berlin, the Germans were convinced that Russia would not dare to intervene in the dispute between Austria-Hungary and Serbia even if later rejected ultimatum and Austria declared war.

The Austrian ultimatum was delivered in Belgrade on July 25th linking the Belgrade with the assassination, something the secret Austrian report of ten days earlier and specifically denied- It insisted that, i) Serbian must condemn all anti-Austrian propaganda, ii) agree to joint Austro-Serbia commission to investigate the murder, iii) there must be condemnation by the Serb army, military involvement with the murder, iv) Serbian promise of no further intrigue in Bosnia, v) Serbia must undertake to punish who circulated anti Austrian propaganda and vi) Austrian officials to participate in the trial and punishment of those connected with the plot.

These demands by one sovereign state against the other, were called “the most formidable document that was ever addressed from one state to another”. The Serbians understood their weaknesses against joint onslaught across her exposed frontiers. She, therefore, send conciliatory reply agreeing to demands except Austrian officials

participation in trial and punishment of those connected with assassination. They proposed that their case should be submitted to International Court of Justice. Thus Serbia in a way effectively capitulated.

The Berlin’s mood that was initially bellicose, after reading text of Serbian reply become conciliatory. Kaiser thus declared that full-scale Austrian invasion of Serbia was not needed. He wrote to his ambassador “I am convinced that the whole wishes of the Danube monarchy have been acceded to. The few reservations that Serbia makes in regard to individual points can in my opinion be well declared up by the negotiations”.

An hour after the Kaiser penned these words, Austria declared war on Serbia, confident of German support if was widened. Tsar in order to avoid such calamity as European war telegraphed Kaiser, “I beg you in the name of our old friendship to do what you can to stop your allies from going too far” But Austria was not be restrained despite German influence. Subsequently Kaiser was also prevailed upon by generals ordered mobilization against Serbia. Germany sent ultimatum to Russia to ease war efforts against Germany and its ally which Russians refused. Germany asked France to categorically state that she would remain neutral in the event of Russio-German War. French refused to succumb to this demand. Similarly Belgium also refused to budge before German ultimatum.

On the morning of August 3, Germany declared war against France. On August 4 Britain also declared war against Germany as the latter violated the territorial sovereignty of its ally, Belgium with whom British had treaty of 1830. Thus by the mid-august all principal powers of Europe including Turkey were on war with one or the other. The Unite States of America which till then was maintaining neutrality could not remain silent spectator. On 1st April an armed American streamer was torpedoed off the French coast and twenty eight of her crewmen drowned. “The world must be made safe for democracy” President Wilson told Congress on April 2nd. Four days later the USA declared war on Germany.

By the time events had run their course, 20 million lay dead; the Austro-Hungarian Empire had disappeared; three out of four dynasties which entered the war, Germans, Austrian and the Russians were overthrown. Only the British royal house remained standing. Afterwards, it was hard to recall exactly what had triggered the conflagration. All that any one knew was that from the ashes produced by monumental folly, a new European system had to be constructed, though its nature was difficult to discern amidst the passion and exhaustion deposited by the carnage.