On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, were on their way back from an official visit to City Hall. Little did the couple know that nineteen-year-old Gavrilo Princip had other plans. Princip and other Serbian nationalists were waiting in the shadows to carry out a murderous plot. Princip felt that through the death of the Archduke and his wife, the Austro-Hungarian Empire would be his. As the carriage rounded the corner two bullets were fired. That was all that was needed to kill the royal couple. Archduke Franz Ferdinand's last words were "It is nothing." Police grabbed Princip and the others. Princip and his followers were sent to jail. The death penalty would have been used on Princip, but he was under age. Princip and the others later died in prison from tuberculosis. The murder of the Archduke and his wife was major spark that started the war only a month later. Later propaganda posters advertised the harsh killing of the Archduke and tried to get Americans to join the war.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand is Assassinated, 12/03/01
A History of the First World War, 12/03/01
Back to The World War I Homepage
Author: Megan
Created: 12/12/01
School District 54, Schaumburg, Illinois
http://web54.sd54.k12.il.us/schools/keller/ww1/assassination.htm