The Lowdown: A Short History of the Origins of World War 1

Many of us know that the first world war began when Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo in June of 1914.  But have you ever wondered exactly what chain of events led up to the incident that caused the whole world to erupt into one of the bloodiest conflicts in our history?

Why, amidst all the tensions in early twentieth century Europe, did this particular incident in Sarajevo lead to Austria delivering an unacceptable ultimatum to Serbia, which would lead to Russia mobilising in support of Serbia, Germany in support of Austria, and then France and Britain in support of Russia?

Expert military historian and lecturer John Lee explains the causes behind the origins of the war and gives us a unique insight into the unfolding drama that defined and shaped a generation – and generations to come.