I know world war 1 started when a serb killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary,but why did the rest of the world care if he got killed or not?
From what little I’ve read, jimbarryusa, Austria-Hungary had been having troubles for several decades with minorities that wanted their own nations, or at least greater automny, (Serbs, Czechs, Slovaks, some Italians who wanted to merge with that country, etc), and its leaders viewed the war as an attempt to impose the Imperial will on said minorities and check the uppity Serbs. (One ironic thing I’ve read is that the Archduke was actually unpopular in the Austrian-Hungarian court, partially because he supported greater rights for the minorities and partially because his wife was disliked – I believe it was a morganatic marriage).
Russia sided with the Serbs because Czar Nicholas II’s government seemed to view itself as the traditional protector of all Slavic peoples. Over the previous 20 years, Kaiser Wilhelm had also antagonized Russian officials, causing Nicholas’ father, Czar Alexander III, to ally with France.
Germany egged on Austria-Hungary because its government’s leaders seemed to think most other European countries were conspiring to deny it its “rightful place in the sun.” It is also my impression that the Kaiser, who had one of the biggest mouths in history, wanted a war to prove he was as great as his daddy, Wilhelm I, who directed the Germans to victories over France, Austria, and Denmark in the mid-19th Century.
France was bound by treaty to come to the aid of Serbia and Russia in case either of those countries was attacked by the Axis Powers. I believe France, Serbie & Russia called themselves the Triple Entente. From what I’ve read, the French government also wanted to regain the territory of Alsace-Lorraine, which had been lost to Germany in 1871.
Many of the UK’s people were initially reluctant to enter the war, but the German invasion of neutral Belgium and reports of German atrocities there, many of them exaggerated, convinced the majority of English that war was necessary.
Italy started the war as an ally of Germany and Austria-Hungary, but I’ve read that the Italians were reluctant to go against the UK because the two countries had enjoyed a very good relationship, and Itally later switched sides, partially because the British and French promised it certain territories in exchange for its aid; I believe one of them was Trieste (cite: my European history course in college)
The Ottoman Empire was initially inclined to be neutral, but later sided with Germany, partially because the British government blatantly stole, by taking over and incorporating into the British Navy, two ships the Ottoman government had commissioned to be built in the UK and had paid for (cite: Barbar Tuchman’s The Guns of August.
Of course, the rest of the respective empires became involved in the fighting, and I believe there was a lot of combat in Africa, and a fair amount of naval combat off the coasts of South America.
Japan fought with the Allies, but I’m not sure of that government’s motivations. I suspect grabbing other peoples’ land, because Japan had taken over Taiwan (Formosa), part of Manchuria, and Korea within the previous 20 years.
The U.S. tried to stay neutral, but joined the Allied war effort in 1917 because of 1.) the Zimmerman note, in which a high German official promised aid in helping Mexico regain the territories it had lost in 1848 provided Mexico declared war on the US 2.) Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare and 3.) some sympathy for the democratic ideals of Britain and France.
Well, because Austria, which had claims on Serbia, demanded harsh reparations from Serbia, or they would invade, and Russia, which was guaranteeing Serbia’s independence, encouraged them to stand up to the Austrians. Then, Germany, who was an Austrian ally and an enemy of Russia, insured Austria that, if war began, Germany would back Austria. Meanwhile, France, who was upset with Germany because of the Franco-Prussian war, and who had invested pretty heavily in Russian industrial and mineral interests, announced that they would honor their alliance with Russia. Britain, meanwhile, who distrusted German naval buildups, had guaranteed the independence of Belgium. German war plans dictated an attack against France should be made through Belgium, so Britain got dragged in the war that way. Meanwhile, the Ottomans had been getting pretty heavy investment from Germany, and was upset by English influence in Egypt, French support for Lebanese nationalists, and Russian control over the Crimea, as well as their aid to Armenian nationalists, so they entered the war on the side of Germany. Bulgaria, meanwhile, entered the war on the side of Germany to protect itself from Russia, which was hostile to it. Meanwhile, Roumania had been a Russian ally and had a dispute with Austria over Transylvania, so they joined the war. Montenegro, meanwhile, was firmly allied with Serbia, and found themselves in the war on the Serbian side. Japan, even though you might think they would ally with Germany because of their past hostility with Russia, saw a chance to supplant German influence in China, so declared war against them.
Wow and and I thought that the world is messed up now!!!
Seems a little scary that trouble in the balkans could spark all that.
The intricate web of alliances that existed for a few hundred years up through WWII has now mostly been relegated to international treaty organizations, like the EU, NATO, UN and so forth. Makes things a little more simple, but not much. 
Fine précis! From both the coyote and the cap’m.
Just a nitpick on the Triple Entente. It referred to the loose alliance between France, Russia, and Britain, in opposition to the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Italy, with the latter, as has been noted, striking a better deal in the course of the war with the Entente (having become known as the Allies, versus the Triple Alliance, which in turn had become known as the Central Powers, with the Ottomans added).
Technically neither Russia or France was allied with Serbia. Russia supported Serbia when it was attacked by Austria. France got into the war because it was an ally of Russia.
Serbia, incidentally, was pretty much guilty of exactly what Austria was accusing it of.
Italy’s alliance with Germany and Austria was a defensive one. Because those two countries declared war on others, Italy was free to stay out of the war without violating its treaty obligations.
Um, Wilhelm I was Wilhelm II’s GRANDfather, not his father. His father was Frederick III, who only reigned for a mere 90 days because he had throat cancer.