Shryan Anil (Y9): From Assassination to Global Conflict: The Chain Reaction

During Year 9, Term 1 of History, students deal with the very interesting and complex topic of World War I, touching upon its causes. The curriculum invites learners to explore the multivariate causes that led to the onset of this catastrophic world war. Rather than a course which can be reduced to a single, definitive account, perception and analysis are encouraged, enabling students to build up an understanding of how these many factors interrelated in order to spark off a war.

The murder of Franz Ferdinand (pictured left) led Austria-Hungary to issue an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding severe terms that would undermine Serbian sovereignty. When Serbia failed to comply fully, Austria-Hungary declared war on July 28, 1914. Then, the alliance system kicked in, pulling other nations into action. Russia, allied with Serbia and a protector of Slavic interests, mobilised against Austria-Hungary. Germany, bound by its alliance with Austria-Hungary, declared war on Russia and later France. When Germany invaded Belgium to reach France, Britain entered the war to defend Belgian neutrality. This series of events rapidly escalated, drawing in colonies and empires from across the globe.

Each of these elements — nation-state rivalry, militarism, imperialism, and entangling alliances — contributed to the war itself. Nationalist zeal impelled people to wish to prove their hegemony, while militarism meant that they were prepared and even welcomed the conflict with large and highly equipped military forces. Imperialist rivalries, for colonies and raw materials, increased tensions across the board. And the entangling alliance system made local disputes into international crises.

World War I was fought on many fronts: from the Western Front, with its trench warfare (pictured right) that defined the war, to the Eastern Front, where movements were more fluid. Millions died on both sides - soldiers and civilians alike - and new technologies like machine guns, poison gas, and tanks forever changed the face of war.

The murder of Franz Ferdinand was not itself the cause of World War I, but rather the last straw in what had been long-building political, economic, and social rivalries. The complexity of the war reminds us of the dangers from untrammelled rivalries and alliances.

Shryan Anil Y9 - Humanities Prefect