Who was responsible for the outbreak of the Great War in 1914?
A widely held view is that Germany was solely to blame because after the murder of Franz
Ferdinand Austria-Hungary threatened Serbia with War and Germany supported then AustriaHungary.
What do you think?
Use the information from the statements’ grid.
Record your views on the blank grid.
Great Responsibility
Austria Hungary
Germany
Russia
France
Great Britain
Serbia
Some Responsibility
Little Responsibility
No responsibility
1. Austria-Hungary had a
huge Empire made up of
different people including
some Serbs.
2. In 1879 Austria –
Hungary and Germany
agreed to help each other
in any future war.
This was called the ‘Dual
Alliance’.
3. Serbia was determined
to create a bigger country
which included the Serbs
living in AustriaHungary and Bosnia
6. Britain had a huge overseas
Empire and needed a Navy.
7. Germany was a major
land power.
8. There was a war in
1912-13 and Serbia grew
in strength and power.
11. Russia saw herself as the
protector of Serbs and Serbia.
12. Russia hated AustriaHungary for taking over
Bosnia in 1908.
16. Germany threatened
France twice, once in 1905
and once in 1911 but Britain
helped France and Germany
backed down.
17. In 1894 France and
Russia agreed to help
each other in a War
against Germany and
Austria-Hungary.
21. There was growing rivalry
between Austria- Hungary
and Serbia including a trade
war.
22. Russia and Serbia
became more friendly
after Austria-Hungary
took over Bosnia
4. By 1907 Europe was
divided into two friendship
groups called the ‘Triple
Alliance’ (Germany,
Austria- Hungary and
Italy) and the ‘Triple
Entente’ (Britain, France
and Russia)
9. In 1908 Austria took
over Bosnia, which was
inhabited by Serbs.
5. There was very bitter
rivalry between Britain
and Germany before
1914 as both wanted to
have the biggest Navy.
13. Germany developed a
plan to beat both Russia
and France in a future
War. It relied on speed
and surprise.
18. Gavrilo Princip was a
young Serbian who
joined the terrorist called
‘The Black Hand’. He
hated Austria- Hungary.
14. Germany’s Emperor
William II annoyed other
countries with his speeches.
15. France and
Germany had had a
war in 1870. France
had lost but wanted
revenge.
20. Archduke Franz
Ferdinand visited
Sarajevo, the violent
capital of Bosnia on 28th
June 1914.
23. Franz Ferdinand was
seen as an AustroHungarian invader by
many Serbs living in
Bosnia.
24. After 1908 Russia
promised to help Serbia
with any other future
problems with AustriaHungary.
19. The ‘Black Hand’ was
set up in Serbia in 1911.
they wanted to use violence
to create a bigger Serbia.
10. Germany felt
threatened by France,
Britain and Russia in
the Triple Entente.
25. Austria- Hungary
blamed Serbia for the
death of FranzFerdinand.