 On 28 June 1914, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated by the Bosnian-Serb Gavrilo Princip in the name of Serbian nationalism. This caused a diplomatic crisis resulting in Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia and sparking the First World War. Due to a variety of reasons, within weeks the major powers of Europe — divided into two alliances known as the Central Powers and the Triple Entente — were at war. As the conflict progressed, additional countries from around the globe were drawn into the conflict on both sides.
