• Enver Pasha, Minister of War for the Ottoman Empire, proposed an Ottoman–German alliance to Baron Hans Freiherr von Wangenheim, the German ambassador in Constantinople, but had it turned down on the grounds the Empire had nothing of value to offer Germany. Grand Vizir Said Halim Pasha also made similar propositions to Austria-Hungary.^[128]
• Railway workers in Saint John, New Brunswick went on strike, resulting in riots the following day.^{[129][page needed]}
• The Austro-Hungarian Navy battleships Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand, Radetzky, and SMS Zrínyi each transported one flying boat from Pola to the Gulf of Cattaro. The following day they carried out a reconnaissance of the border with Montenegro. These were the first operational flights in Europe by naval aircraft.^[130]
• The last issue of French anarchist journal L'Anarchie was published. It would be re-launched in 1926 by Louis Louvet.^[131]
• Born: Robert G. Emmens, American air force officer, member of the Doolittle Raid in 1942, recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross; in Medford, Oregon, United States (d. 1992)^{[citation needed]}

This July 28 marks the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I in 1914.

A month before the war began, on June 28, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his wife Sophie had been assassinated during a trip to Bosnia. Initial outrage was strong, as were fears that this would be the instigating event for the European war that had been looming for years. But as the days and weeks passed without Austria-Hungary retaliating against Serbia (whom they believed to be behind the assassination plot), some began to breathe a sigh of relief.

But then, on July 23, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia with various demands regarding Serbia’s response to the assassination and the country’s future relationship with Austria-Hungary. Serbia accepted many of the demands but refused to allow Austria-Hungary to be involved in its judicial process for Serbians connected to the assassination. Thus rejected, the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia on July 28.

Russia (a champion of Serbia and its Slavic population) began mobilization of its troops, which prompted Germany (an ally of Austria-Hungary) to declare war on Russia. In quick succession, the system of alliances (and territorial ambitions) within Europe led Germany to also declare war on France and Britain, Britain and France to declare war on Germany, and Russia to declare war on Germany and Austria-Hungary.

Within a week, five major countries in Europe were embroiled in a war they believed would be over in a matter of months. Many other nations would eventually join the conflict—including the isolationist United States, though not officially until 1917. The bloody war would last more than four years and result in upwards of 37 million dead, missing, or wounded soldiers.

Explore Fold3’s World War I collection to discover more about this conflict and the men who fought in it.

CAUSES OF WORLD WAR I INFOGRAPHIC