Chapter 11 — History & Culture
What caused World War I?
The trigger was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914. The kindling was a tangle of alliances, colonial rivalries, an arms race, and unchecked nationalism. Once one domino fell, empires were treaty-bound to follow.
Follow-up questions
Who won?
The Allies (France, UK, Russia, later US). Germany surrendered in 1918; the Treaty of Versailles set punishing terms that helped seed WWII.
How many died?
About 20 million — split roughly evenly between military and civilian, including the influenza pandemic that followed.
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