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Assisnation of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand, the Archduke and royal prince of Austria-Hungary, and his wife were assisnated by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist. Princip was a member of the military organization called "Black Hand" which seeked to end Austro-Hungarian presence in the Balkans. This sparked the outbreak of World War I. -
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Top 10 Important Events of WW1
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Austria's Blank Check Assurance
Austria-Hungary feared Serbia too much, because of their treaty with Russia. With the assassination of Ferdinand and his wife, Austria-Hungary was able to secure the promise from Germany that it would aid in the war with Serbia and possibly Russia. When the Serbian government rejected the ultimatum of ending anti-Austrian agitation in Serbia, Austria looked to its ally Germany for military assistance. With Russia and Germany's entrance, this changed a minor issue into a large war.
