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The Balkans had becomes a place full of jealousy and hatred by 1914. The Austrian annexation of Bosnia and Herzgeovina in 1908 hqd stirrede up anti-Austrian feeling. As well, to Austrain alarm, Serbia had become a leading power in the Balkans after the two Balkan wars. In this explosive situation, a shocking assassination sparked off the great war.
The Sarajevo assassination, 1914
The Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, visited Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. On 28 June 1914, the national day of Serbia, he was assassinated. The assassin was Princip, a Bosnian student who belonged to the Serbian nationalist society (the Black Hand).
Austria-Hungary claimed that the assassination plot had been planned in Serbia and that the Serbia government knew about the plan but did not try to stop it. Actually, the leader of the Black Hand was the man in charge of the Serbian army. It was said that both the Serbia government and the Russian government knew about the assassination plan. Now Austria-Hungary the excuse they wanted to attack Serbia.
Support by Russia, Serbia no longer stood alone in her conflict with Austria-Hungary. Due to the possibility of Russian intervention, Austria-Hungary approached Germany for support. On 6 July, Germany promised to give unconditional support to Austria-Hungary. This support was known as 'the blank cheque'. Germany's unlimited support to Austria-Hungary greatly strengthened the latter's confidence in engaging in an open confrontation with Serbia. Fully supported by Germany, Austria-Hungary sent an ultimatum to Serbia on 23 July. It was a tough ultimatum consisted of three demands:
1. Serbia was to suppress all anti-Austrian societies;
2. Serbia was to dismiss all officials Austria objected to;
3. Austrian officials were to enter Sebria to suppress anti-Austrian activities and to carry out an investigation of the Sarqajevo assassination.
Serbia accepted the firat two demands but rejected the last one. It was then that Austria-Hungary decided to crush Serbia.