Look at the picture given and answer the following questions:
Explain the immediate cause of the war associated with this headline.
Topic: Immediate cause of the First World War
Answer
The immediate cause of the First World War was the Sarajevo Crisis.
On 28 June 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, and his wife were assassinated at Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian youth belonging to the secret society known as the Black Hand.
Austria held Serbia responsible and sent her a harsh ultimatum. When Serbia did not accept every term, Austria declared war on 28 July 1914. Russia mobilised in support of Serbia, Germany declared war on Russia and France, and when Germany invaded Belgium, England entered the war. Because of the system of alliances, a local quarrel thus became a world war within weeks.
Three marks: the event, the reaction, and the chain that followed. Do not stop at the assassination — the question asks how it BECAME the cause of a world war, so the alliance chain is essential. The names and dates carry the marks: Franz Ferdinand, Gavrilo Princip, Sarajevo, 28 June 1914. Distinguish clearly between the IMMEDIATE cause (Sarajevo) and the underlying causes (imperialism, aggressive nationalism, the armament race, the alliance system). Examiners ask for one or the other, never both under the same name.