Archduke Francis Ferdinand was the heir of the throne of Austria-Hungary; he hoped that his sympathy for the Slavs would ease the tension between Austria-Hungary and the Balkans.

He and his wife had arranged to tour Bosnia. As the couple rode through Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, an Asian by the name of Gavrillo Principe jumped on their car and fired two shots. Francis and Sophie, did almost instantly, Gavirle Principe, was linked to a Serbian terrorist group called the Block hand.

The Assignation gave Austria-Hungary a good reason to crush Serbia, a lay time emerge in the Balkans. But first they gained Germanys promise to support them in any action they took against Serbia. Then they sent Serbia a list of Humiliating demands on July 23. Serbia accepted most of the demands and offered to have the rest settled by an international conference. Austria-Hungary rejected the offer and declared war on Serbia on July 28 1914. It was expected to be a quick victory.

Germany had a war plan witch had been prepared by Alfred von Schliffer in 1905. Schliffen was the chief of the Germa

The Belgin army was fighting tough and holding up the Germans but only for a short time. By Aug. 16, 1914 the right wing of the German army could begin its pincher move. They drove back the French and a small British force in southern Belgium. They then swept into France but instead of the army swinging west around Paris according to the plan one part of the wing perused the retreating French troops. They moved east toward the Marne River that left the Germans open to attack from the rear. General Joseph Joffery was the commander of all the French forces. He stationed his forces nerve the Marne River, east of Paris. He prepared for battle.

n General staff; witch was a group of officials who provided advice on military operations. The plan assumed Germany would have to fight both France and Russia a quick defeat of France while Russia was slowly mobilizing. After they defeated France they would have to deal with Russia. If war came Germany would have to strike first. After the plan was put in motion, the system of military alliances almost assured a general European war.

The two German heroes Heindeburg and Lundendarff took over the Western front. Heindeburg became chief of the general staff. And Lundendarff was his top aid. And they planned the German strategy.

In 1916, Falkenhyen chief of the German general staff decided to concentrate on killing of enemy solders. So they would lack troops and not be able to continue the war. He chose to attack the French city Verdun. Fierce Barbebement began on February 21.

The trenches were normally 6 to 8 feet deep and only wide enough for 2 men to pass. There were dugouts in the side of the trenches to protect men while the enemy was firing at them. There was another trench behind the firing trench called the Cover Trench. Then the support trench and the reserve trench came behind those. The men lived in dugouts in the support trenches while they weren't in the front. They were communication trenches going in between all the big ones to go back and forth. The men usually served at the front for three days to a week, then rotated to the back. Barbed wire helped protect the front line from surprise attacks. Fire artillery was set up behind the support trenches.

By 1915 the opposing side

Some common words found in the essay are:
Belgium Life, Cover Trench, Belgium Allies, France Russia, Assignation Austria-Hungary, Serbia July, Marne September, French Belgium, French British, Battle Verdun, western front, german army, eastern front, german staff, mans land, chief german staff, chief german, wing german army, machine guns, russian army, firing trench, 28 1914, deadlock western front, cross mans land,
Approximate Word count = 1518
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)