Causes of the World War of 1914 : Condition of Europe in 1914 : hen the guns were unleashed on August 1914,

an illusion haunted the mind of the people of Europe that the war would not be a long one. Every O belligerent nation expected victory and hopea that the ptimism at the beginning of boys would be home by the next Christmas) Europe the war, entered the war playfully; soldiers boarded ti ains with flowers on their rifles.' But four Christmas festivals were to come and go before the boys or those of them that survived could come back home. The immediate origin of the war can be traced in Austro-Serbian rivalry in he Balkan. Serbia strongly resented the Austrian annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina which were mainly inhabited by Serbs) Pig-politics and The Austrian attempt to block Serbian access to the murder of Adriatic Sea was also resented by Serbia. Austria often Seraj avo . punished Serbia by preventing her main exportpigs through the Adriatic ports. This policy of Austria was branded by the Serbians as "pig politics" A secret society named "the Black Hand" was formed by the South Slays r the Serbians with a view to terrorize Austrian officials. The Austrian Crown Prince Ferdinand and his wife Sophia were murdered by a Bosnian student on June 28, 1914. The assassin was a member of the Black Hand Society. Austria declared that Serbia was failed to accept the ultimatum, Austria declared war on Serbi on July 28, a) responsible for the tragedy. She served an ultimatum on Serbia. As Serbia 1914. Many expected that it would be nothing more than local war. But it was destined not to be so. Within six weeks Germany, Russia and France jo. ed the war. England also joined on August 4, 1914. The Austro-Serbian rivalry and the Seralavo murder were not fun-damental causes of the war. The Serajavo tragedy only lighted the spark to the powder barrel. But the powder was in the barrel long before the Se javo murder was committed. Europe was in a state of "international anarchy" between 1904-14. Each co'tintry entertained an exagerated idea its right sovereignty. Blind selfishness, ruthless opportunism, secret diplomacy and threat of force was shamelessly pursued in international relations') and fairplay were Low standard talked but not practised. In[efhational morality sank very of international low; respect for international law was poor. Political morality in behaviour of statesmen was unedifying. Arther Posonby Europe. told the British House of Commons in 1927. "forgery, theft, lying and corruption reigned in every foreign office throughout the world". Such conditions created international uncertainty and promoted distrust among nations. Serajavo affair, incident to the dispute. 1. Rene Carrie. P. 199.