The year 1914 marked the beginning of World War I with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary. This event acted as a catalyst for numerous alliances and pre-existing tensions to erupt into a full-blown global conflict. The complex web of alliances, militarism, nationalism, and imperialism contributed to an unprecedented scale of war that involved multiple nations across different continents. The consequences of the war reshaped national borders, dissolved empires, and led to significant political, social, and economic changes worldwide, especially in Europe.