100 YEARS AGO, as today, global superpowers were engaged in an game of brinkmanship that found an outlet in local conflicts in Eastern Europe.
It was in the Balkans in 1914 and today marks the centenary of the day that World War I effectively commenced.
On 28 July 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia and, within the space of a week, the five major powers in Europe were all at war.
The declaration of war happened a month to the day after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were assassinated by a Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo.
Austria was unhappy with the Serbian response to the killing and, after being reassured of the backing of its its ally Germany, proceeded with a military response.
Russia had promised support to Serbia and the following day Germany and Russia were at war, activating alliances between France and Britain that saw them enter the conflict.
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