Conflict and tension 1894–1918

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian nationalist in June 1914 triggered a diplomatic crisis that rapidly escalated into World War I due to the alliance system. The sinking of the Lusitania (Option A) occurred later in 1915 and influenced US entry, rather than triggering the war itself.

The pre-war alliance system was characterized by two major blocs: the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy, and the Triple Entente of Britain, France, and Russia. NATO and the Warsaw Pact (Option A) are incorrect as they were Cold War alliances formed decades after the First World War.

The pre-war alliance system was characterized by two major blocs: the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy, and the Triple Entente of Britain, France, and Russia. A diagram for this topic isn't available yet — the worked example below walks the same reasoning step by step.

• !NATO and the Warsaw Pact (Option A) are incorrect as they were Cold War alliances formed decades after the First World War.
• !The Schlieffen Plan was Germany's strategic blueprint to avoid a two-front war by rapidly defeating France through Belgium before pivoting to face the slower-mobilizing Russian army.
• !Option C is wrong because the treaty was famously punitive, imposing massive restrictions rather than none.

Answer each from memory — you'll see instantly whether you're right and why.

Run a focused 10-question mini-mock on Conflict and tension 1894–1918 and see it stick.