A Sandwich Started a War — The First World War
There were many factors said to have caused the outbreak of the First World War, but I’d argue it all started with a sandwich!
World War I took place between 1914 and 1918. It was thought that the war would only last a few days, but when it stretched over 4 years, the implications of this war became more apparent.
It was the first of its kind, regarding mortalities, countries involved and the changing landscape of the world.
Context of the Times
The Ottoman Empire had been weakening, and this caused instability in the Balkans; in 1878 Austria-Hungary agreed to look after Bosnia. Serbia felt that Bosnia should unite with Serbia to bring the Serbian people together. At the same time, Russia was worried about Austria’s growing strength.
By 1908 the Ottoman Empire was regaining strength, Austria Hungary was reluctant to give up Bosnia, and there was fear of the growth in Serb nationalism.
After the Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913, Serbia had DOUBLED in size. Nationalism among Serbian people soared!
Austria-Hungary was not happy with the new, bigger Serbia because there was concern that the Slavs living in the Empire would want to break free and live in Serbia.
Black Hand Gang
During this time when the Austrian-Hungary empire was a mix of many cultural groups, there were a large number of people in the empire who didn’t want to be ruled by a monarch anymore and were looking to gain independence.
Bosnians and Serbians wanted to unite, and a group of men decided to take drastic action to highlight their cause. They were called the Black Hand Gang, and the most notorious member was named Gavrillo Princip — known for the successful assassination of Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand and his wife.
Arch Duke Frans Ferdinand in Sarajevo
In June 1914 the heir to the Austrian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, decided to visit Sarajevo to inspect the army.
Sarajevo was the capital of Bosnia, and there were many people there who wanted to independence from Austria. Bosnia was a small state which had been part of Serbia until Austria took it away and the Serbian people that lived in Bosnia were quite angry about this.
Franz Ferdinand had been warned that his visit could provoke trouble, but he ignored this advice and visited Sarajevo anyways. He wanted to demonstrate that his family was in control of Sarajevo and if he had stopped the tour, it could have been seen as a sign of weakness. Especially to those who didn’t want Bosnia and Sarajevo ruled by the Austrians.
Franz Ferdinand arrived in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914 and was met at the railway station to be taken on to the City Hall for the reception and speeches.
What’s a Sandwich Got to Do With It?
Seven members of the Black Hand lined the route that the Arch Duke was to be driven through the city on. One of the men, Nedjelko Cabrinovic, threw a grenade at the Archduke’s car. The driver quickly sped away from the scene. The grenade bounced off the back of the Archduke’s car and rolled underneath the one behind, and exploded seconds later. Two people were injured.
Cabrinovic swallowed his cyanide capsule as instructed, and jumped into the River Miljacka — which was only 2 feet deep. He didn’t die but instead was captured and arrested.
The other men along the route from the Black Hand had scattered out of fear of the failed grenade launch.
Ferdinand attended a reception at the city hall and complained about his treatment in the city. Later, the Archduke decided to visit the city hospital to see the people who were injured in the grenade explosion. It was decided that the motorcade should take an alternate route to the hospital, avoiding the city centre altogether.
The driver of Ferdinand’s car wasn’t informed of the change of plan, and so he took the original route.
Turning into Franz Josef Street, the general who was a passenger in the Arch Duke’s car noticed that they were taking the wrong route. He argued with the driver who then made a turn, slowed the car and began to reverse out of the street.
Gavrilo Princip who happened to be in Franz Joseph Street, buying a sandwich at a cafe, came out and realised the opportunity he had. He aimed at Ferdinand from a distance of five feet. His bullets hit the Archduke in the neck and his wife, Sophie, who was travelling with him, in the belly abdomen.
Princip quickly tried to swallow his cyanide pill, which as it turns out was past its expiry. He held his gun to his head but was unable to pull the trigger and was arrested almost immediately.
Alliances Begin to Develop
Serbia was blamed by Austria for this murder. Serbia was near to Bosnia and had encouraged the Black Hand Gang by giving the gang weapons. The hope as that Serbia and Bosnia would unite to form a new state.
Austria decided that Serbia must be punished and planned to invade. Serbia called on her old friend Russia to help her.
Russia had a large army and Austria wouldn’t have been able to handle an Austro-Russian was. So, Austria called on Germany for help. The German government agreed to this, but their response upset the French government.
Secretly the German government had already created a plan to defeat France in 6 weeks before fighting Russia. This plan involved an attack on France via Belgium.
Britain had given Belgium a guarantee in 1839 that if anybody attacked her, Britain would attack the attacker.
Snacks in the Right Place at the Right Time
Gavrillo Princip felt snackish after the failed assassination, and the Arch Duke was killed, which led to the building of alliances of larger countries.
The assassination of Arch Duke Frans Ferdinand was the spark that started the First World War. Had Gavrilo Princip not been buying a sandwich on the same street as where the Arch Duke’s car was being turned around, it could be said that the war would not have happened.
