Background (ww1)

Morocco Crisis ended with German failure in oversea colonial attempt. Germany was humiliated and the crowd started hating France. Meanwhile, in Germany's ally, Austria-Hungary, an assassination happened.

The Balkan Wars
Austria-Hungary supported Ottoman Empire in the first Balkan War against other Balkan states, mainly Serbia. However the war ended up in Serbian victory. Enraged by the result, Austria-Hungary set up Albania, blocking Serbia so they became an inland country.

Sarajevo Incident
28 June, 1914, a Bosnia student who was a member of the Black Hand, an anti-Austria-Hungary secret society in Serbia and was supported by Serbian government, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, an Austria-Hungarian prince, in Sarajevo.

July ultimatum
Austria-Hungary, in response to the assassination, sent an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding:


 * 1) Suppress all publications which "incite hatred and contempt of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy" and are "directed against its territorial integrity".
 * 2) Dissolve the Serbian nationalist organisation Narodna Odbrana ("The People's Defense") and all other such societies in Serbia.
 * 3) Eliminate without delay from schoolbooks and public documents all "propaganda against Austria-Hungary".
 * 4) Remove from the Serbian military and civil administration all officers and functionaries whose names the Austro-Hungarian Government will provide.
 * 5) Accept in Serbia "representatives of the Austro-Hungarian Government" for the "suppression of subversive movements".
 * 6) Bring to trial all accessories to the Archduke's assassination and allow "Austro-Hungarian delegates" (law enforcement officers) to take part in the investigations.
 * 7) Arrest Major Vojislav Tankosić and civil servant Milan Ciganović who were named as participants in the assassination plot.
 * 8) Cease the cooperation of the Serbian authorities in the "traffic in arms and explosives across the frontier"; dismiss and punish the officials of Šabac and Loznica frontier service, "guilty of having assisted the perpetrators of the Sarajevo crime".
 * 9) Provide "explanations" to the Austro-Hungarian Government regarding "Serbian officials" who have expressed themselves in interviews "in terms of hostility to the Austro-Hungarian Government".
 * 10) Notify the Austro-Hungarian Government "without delay" of the execution of the measures comprised in the ultimatum.

Serbia rejected.

Road to war
Austria-Hungary declared war against Serbia. Russian, protecting Serbia, declared war against Austria-Hungary. Germany, Austria-Hungary's ally, declared war against Russia. France, Russian ally, declared war against Germany. Germany, in order to avoid fighting French main force, decided to attack France from North, so declared war against Belgium, hoping they can attack France non well-guarded Belgian border quickly. U.K., in response, declared war against Germany.