Lesson 3 - 1914
There are few more dramatic moments in history than the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, June 28th 1914. History teachers around the world love to tell the story of how 'bad driving caused the First World War' (I am no exception), documentary film makers enjoy the opportunity to focus on the tragedy and farce of the day's events, (See below) and anyone with any philosophical inclinations can't help but reflect on the counterfactual possibilities that (bad) luck unleashed on that day. But to be honest, June 28th 1914 isn't that important. It's what happens in the 37 days after that you need to learn and focus on. But most of you won't.
So anyway on with the show. So how did bad driving cause the First World War?
There are few more dramatic moments in history than the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, June 28th 1914. History teachers around the world love to tell the story of how 'bad driving caused the First World War' (I am no exception), documentary film makers enjoy the opportunity to focus on the tragedy and farce of the day's events, (See below) and anyone with any philosophical inclinations can't help but reflect on the counterfactual possibilities that (bad) luck unleashed on that day. But to be honest, June 28th 1914 isn't that important. It's what happens in the 37 days after that you need to learn and focus on. But most of you won't.
So anyway on with the show. So how did bad driving cause the First World War?
Sunday 28 June 1914 was a bright and sunny day in Sarajevo. Sarajevo in Bosnia was preparing for a royal visitfrom Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria [see Source 2], Crowds lined the streets and waited for the procession of cars to appear. Hidden among the crowds, however, were six teenage [Bosnian Serb] terrorists sworn to kill the Archduke. They hated him and they hated Austria. They were stationed at intervals along the riverside route which the cars would follow on their way to the Town Hall. They all had bombs andpistols in their pockets, andphials ofpoison which they had promised to swallow if they were caught, so that they would not give the others away. It seemed as if the plan could not fail.
Finally, the cavalcade of four large cars came into sight. The Archduke was in a green open-topped car. He looked every inch a duke, wearing a pale blue uniform, a row of glittering medals and a military hat decorated with green ostrich feathers. Beside him sat his wife Sophie, looking beautiful in a white dress and a broad hat and waving politely to the crowd.
At 10.15 the cars passed Mehmedbasic, the first in line of the waiting killers. He took fright, did nothing, and then escaped. The next assassin, Cabriolvic, also lost his nerve and did nothing. But then as the cars passed the Cumurja Bridge, Cabrinovic threw his bomb, swallowed his poison, and jumped into the river. The Archduke saw the bomb coming and threw it off his car, but it exploded under the car behind, injuring several people. Now there was total confusion as the procession accelerated away, fearing more bombs. Meanwhile the police dragged Cabrinovic out of the river. His cyanide was old and had not worked.
The Archduke was driven to the Town Hall, where he demanded to be taken to visit the bomb victims in hospital. Fearing more terrorists, the officials decided to take a new route to avoid the crowds, but this was not properly explained to the driver of the Archduke’s car. Moreover, no police guard went with the procession.
Meanwhile the other assassins, on hearing the bomb explode, assumed the Archduke was dead and left - all except Princip, who soon discovered the truth. Miserably he wandered across the street towards Schiller’s delicatessen and café.
Princip was standing outside the café when, at 10.45, the Archduke’s car suddenly appeared beside him and turned into Franz Josef Street. This was a mistake, for according to the new plan the procession should have continued straight along the Appel Quay. As the driver realised he had taken a wrong turn he stopped and started to reverse. Princip could hardly believe his luck. Pulling an automatic pistol from the right-handpocket of his coat, he fired two shots at a range of just 3 or 4 metres. He could not miss. One bullet pierced the Archduke’s neck and the other ricocheted off the car into Sophie’s stomach. Fifteen minutes later she died and the Archduke followed soon after.
Princip was immediately seized. He managed to swallow his poison, but it did not work and he was taken off to prison. All the plotters except Mehmedbasic were eventually caught, but only the organiser, Ilic, was hanged, for the others were too young for the death penalty. Princip died in an Austrian jail, however, in April 1918, aged twenty-three.
Adapted from Britain at War by Craig Mair, 1982.
Although there was no hard evidence that Princip was acting under orders from the Serbian government, Austria blamed Serbia. Frantic diplomatic effort gave Austria a guarantee of German backing. With this support Austria now felt secure enough to deal with the Serbian problem once and for all. It gave Serbia a ten- point ultimatum that would effectively have made Serbia part of the Austrian Empire. The Serbs could not possibly accept it. When the Serbs asked for time to consider, Austria refused and declared war on 28 July 1914. The slide to all-out war had begun.
Activity 1
Read the account of the assassination above, then watch the film opposite. The password is 1914.
1. There were many moments during 28 June 1914 when events could have turned out differently. List three moments at which a different decision might have saved the lives of the Archduke and his wife. 2. Do you think that if the Archduke had not been shot, the war would not have started? Give your reasons. |
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Did a sandwich cause the First World War?
The film you just watched - Days that shook the world - is very popular with history teachers around the world. Having watched it you can probably understand why. It is not too long, it's quite dramatic and as Ben can tell you, it deliberately imitates the style of a famous director who became very popular about 20 years ago. But it also has one unfortunate consequence, students remember an event that didn't happen. Mike Dash wrote about it in the Smithsonian magazine a few years ago and fellow history teacher Scott Allsop made a jolly little film about it. Although in my view the origin of the sandwich myth started with the Channel 4 documentary below.
The film you just watched - Days that shook the world - is very popular with history teachers around the world. Having watched it you can probably understand why. It is not too long, it's quite dramatic and as Ben can tell you, it deliberately imitates the style of a famous director who became very popular about 20 years ago. But it also has one unfortunate consequence, students remember an event that didn't happen. Mike Dash wrote about it in the Smithsonian magazine a few years ago and fellow history teacher Scott Allsop made a jolly little film about it. Although in my view the origin of the sandwich myth started with the Channel 4 documentary below.
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The July Crisis - War by railway timetable?
As I said at the start, it's what happens next that is all important. At the very least learn these two things: Germany decided to support Austria unconditionally (The blank cheque metaphor) and Russia mobilised. I now realise students no longer understand what a cheque is. To the right (above) is the cheque Germany thought they were signing and (below) the cheque Austria decided that had received. (Metaphors remember) The complete list of key events for the more ambitious is below to learn and for the keen student with three hours to kill there are these rather brilliant films produced exactly 100 years after the summer of 1914. |
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On 23 July: Having secured the support of Germany (the blank cheque) Austria blamed Serbia for the death of Franz Ferdinand and sent it an ultimatum that was impossible to fulfil.
On 28 July: Austria declared war on Serbia and shelled its capital, Belgrade.
On 29 July: The Russian army mobilised (got ready) to help Serbia defend itself against the Austrian attack. Germany warned Russia not to help the Serbs. Russian war plans assumed mobilisation against Germany.
On 1 August: Germany declared war on Russia, but the Schlieffen Plan meant that its army moved towards France and Belgium.
On 2 August: The French army was put on a war footing ready to fight any German invasion.
On 3 August: Germany declared war on France and invaded Belgium. Britain ordered Germany to withdraw from Belgium.
On 4 August: With the Germans still in Belgium, Britain declared war on Germany.
On 6 August: Austria declared war on Russia.
Activity 2
1. Make a copy of the timeline of events from 23 July - 6th August. 2. In pairs complete the revision diagram (right). You can do this digitally with Word or ask for a paper version in the lesson. First add the correct dates to the events on the left and add a brief description as in the two boxes already completed. Next move them into the correct place on the diagram. You have to decide chronologically (long-term or short-term) and thematically (militarism, imperialism and nationalism). Finally, you need to draw lines making connections between events if you can find any. Upload the completed work to your One Note. |
Extension Activities
Watch this video from the 1970s. A.J.P Taylor was probably the most famous historian in the world at the time; so famous that the BBC made television programmes that were no more than a single camera recording him talking in a single take. He had no notes or teleprompter. He was not reading. This is an extract from a series he called 'How Wars Begin'. It is quite short, so try to watch it all in one go. Make a few notes as he talks, it is a lecture, it's what his students would be expected to do. At the end, see if you can explain in no more than 150 words what he thinks caused the First World War. |
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If you are feeling ambitious and want to see what modern university lecturers sound like, watch sleepwalkers a talk by historian Christopher Clark . (opposite). As a revision and general overview watch John Green's take on events. (Below) All three videos make jokes, you may be surprised to know. |
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