Build up to War

The treaty did not last long. It was dissolved in 1878 after arguments between Austria-Hungary and Russia over the Balkans, the same argument which would eventually start the First World War

Before they were united as one country under Wilhelm, the Emperor of Prussia, Germany had consisted of many independent states. These were the remnants of the Holy Roman Empire which had been dissolved in 1806 after defeat to Napoleon

The treaty pledged the support of all members if one was attacked by a foreign power. At the outbreak of the First World War Italy did not join in, as the treaty only promised defensive help and Germany and Austria-Hungary had been the aggressors. Italy later joined the war against its former allies

The Austro-Hungarians had occupied the land since they took it from the Ottomans in 1878. The annexation was condemned by both Serbia and Russia but, as Austria-Hungary was supported by the Germans, war was averted. Instead the Russians began to increase the size of their army in preparation for any future conflict

Russia was seen as a threat to British interests in the Middle East and Germany wanted an alliance with Great Britain, France's traditional enemy, as a form of protection against the French

Germany vastly increased the size of its navy and challenged Britain's dominance over the seas. The development of the British Dreadnought ensured its lead over its German counterpart

The Entente Cordiale settled several bones of contention between the two enemies. The French recognised British rule in Egypt and the British recognised French rule in Morocco. In addition, France was given land in Senegal and Nigeria

The allies were successful and the Ottomans were all but driven from Europe. As a result of the war, the nation of Albania was born, but not all the victors were happy with the outcome. Bulgaria objected that some of the lands won were shared and it declared war on its former allies one month later. Bulgaria lost this Second Balkan War, which only lasted for 6 weeks, and had to give up much of the land it had gained during the First Balkan War

The Triple Entente was seen as a countermeasure to the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy and a deterrent to war, though without these two opposing forces the world would not so easily have been plunged into conflict

The man who killed the Archduke was 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip. He was too young to receive the death sentence and so he was sent to prison for 20 years. He did not serve the whole of his sentence as he contracted tuberculosis and died three years later. At his trial Princip said, "I am a Yugoslav nationalist, aiming for the unification of all Yugoslavs, and I do not care what form of state, but it must be freed from Austria." His aim was eventually achieved, but not until millions of men had been killed