1) The document discusses the causes and events of World War 1, including the breakdown of Bismarck's system of alliances that had previously maintained peace in Europe. 2) The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand sparked the war, as tensions had been rising due to nationalism, militarism, imperialism, and an interconnected system of alliances. 3) The war quickly resulted in bloody trench warfare on the Western Front, with millions of casualties and little territorial gain over four years, before the United States entry into the war in 1917 helped tip the balance in favor of the Allies.

1. WORLD WAR I Eastview High School – AP European History McKay et al., 8 th edition – Chapter 27 Section 1