When the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, and his wife, Sophie, walked between the rows of dignitaries to their car on that summer day in June 1914, they waved to the crowds who had come to honor them. As the archduke released his wife’s arm to enter the waiting car, he probably scanned the crowds for any sign of the "Black Hand," a group of Serbian terrorists. This secret society had pledged to conduct terrorist activities until Bosnia and Herzegovina, two provinces with direct outlets to the Adriatic Sea, were released to the Serbian government. Only a few days earlier, a Serbian revolutionary had thrown a bomb at the archduke’s car, only narrowly missing its target.
Now, despite their underlying fear, the royal couple continued. Sophie entered the car and sat beside her husband. She was a regal woman, wearing a pale dress and large-brimmed hat, two plumes dressing the brim. She was edgy and nervous. Ferdinand sat tall and proud and brave, showing no outward signs of fear. The buttons on his double-breasted jacket gleamed brightly in the sun as he settled himself in the back seat of the convertible. He would not give in to intimidation. He would not surrender his dignity to terrorism.
But that day, June 28, 1914, as the car began to cruise down the street, a Serbian terrorist jumped onto the running board and fired into the back seat. Two bullets struck the archduke: One hit Sophie, who was trying to shield her husband. The archduke and his wife died almost instantly.
Taking Sides for War
As a direct result of this swift assassination, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia and World War I began. Immediately, European countries, who had been jostling for power for many years, took sides. Germany rose to the support of Austria-Hungary. In fact, German Kaiser Wilhelm had been looking for a chance to lay claim to trade routes through France, and believed this was the opportunity he needed. Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire also picked up their arms in Austria-Hungary’s defense. These countries united to form an alliance called the Central Powers.
The British Empire, France, Belgium, Japan, Russia, Liberia, and Montenegro rushed to Serbia’s defense, uniting to form the Allied Powers. As the initial fighting escalated, San Marino, Romania, Portugal, and Italy also came to the aid of the Allies. The war was immediately bloody and viciously destructive. Men, women, and children were killed; entire villages along the fighting lines were wiped out and burned to the ground. Yet the European enemies battled on, without thought for humanity. Each side could only think of complete victory for themselves.
When Americans heard the news, they were saddened; but the European continent was far away and of little concern to a nation caught up in the excitement of industrial growth and technological advancement. Most Americans quickly forgot about the problems in Europe. Its predicament seemed of little importance to people working to resolve serious problems within their own communities. Those few who might have been anxious that Europe’s problems foreshadowed war for the United States were reassured when, on August 19, 1914, President Wilson announced, "The United States must be neutral in fact as well as in name during these days that are to try men’s souls."
Some American companies saw the war as a chance to improve profits and took steps to increase the pace of production, reasoning that conflict in Europe would interfere with overseas production, creating a need for American imports. Their strategy paid off for those that kicked up production to meet the war’s many needs.
