What major event is cited as marking the beginning of World War I? 🔊
The major event cited as marking the beginning of World War I is the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1914. Ferdinand, alongside his wife, was killed in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb nationalist. This assassination set off a chain reaction of diplomatic crises and mobilizations, leading to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia. Due to a complex web of alliances, other major powers, including Germany, Russia, and France, were quickly drawn into the conflict. This initial spark escalated into a global war that lasted from 1914 to 1918, fundamentally altering the geopolitical landscape of the world.
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