Question: What was World War I about?
Answer : Some say that World War I began because Serbian radicals assassinated the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary in 1914. But for about 70 years before, the powerful countries of Europe had already been lining up against each other and building up armies. Germany supported Austria-Hungary, Russia was behind Serbia, France was aligned with Russia, and Britain supported France. After the assassination, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, and the other countries took sides. The war spread across Europe and the Middle East, and, in 1917, the U.S. got involved. A peace treaty was finally signed in 1919, but historians believe that the terms of the treaty helped start
World War II in 1939. This series of
maps and this
timeline have details on all the major events of the war. Our
World War I category has more resources that can help you learn more about this complex subject.
