The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.
Sir Edward Grey
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, visited Sarajevo, Bosnia, which was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
A Serbian nationalist group, the Black Hand, viewed Austria as an oppressor and planned an attack. Gavrilo Princip, a 19-year-old assassin, shot and killed the archduke and his wife.
Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia and declared war, triggering a system of alliances that led to World War I. Within weeks, major powers, including Germany, Britain, Russia, and France, were drawn into a devastating conflict that lasted until 1918.
This event demonstrates how a single act of violence can have enormous global consequences, leading to war, destruction, and political change.
Vocabulary Bank:
- Assassination – Pembunuhan politik
- Nationalist – Nasionalis
- Oppressor – Penindas
- Alliance – Aliansi atau persekutuan
- Consequences – Konsekuensi atau akibat
Soal:
Can you think of other historical events where a single action led to major global consequences?
