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Today is exactly 100 years to the day in which the bloody 20th century began with the death of Franz Ferdaninand and his wife Sophie, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne and the start of WWI. This event which began WWI set in motion all events in international politics of the 20th century leading to the rise of fascism and communism in Europe, the end of 4 huge Empires, the carving up of the Middle East, WWII, and the Cold War.
Assassin and Serbian Terrorist: Gavrilo Princep
Assassin and Serbian Terrorist: Gavrilo Princep
Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand arrived in Sarajevo, then part of the Habsburg dominion, on June 28, 1914. He was joined in the city by seven Serbian terrorists there to kill him, in hopes of removing a prominent moderate from the line of succession and heightening the tensions between Vienna and its South Slavic subjects. The first assassin was standing near a policeman and didn't use his weapon. The second assassin tossed a grenade that injured several people. The motorcade then continued past the other assassins, none of whom acted as they lacked clear shots in the commotion. The assassins believed their plot had failed. Franz Ferdinand ordered his car to turn around so he could visit people injured by the grenade but his driver misunderstood, and continued on the original route where, while attempting to turn around, his car stalled. By chance, Gavrilo Princip had by this time moved over to Franz Joseph Street and he was able to take the fatal shot.
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