Video summary
Captions, photographs, maps, graphics and commentary explain how the assassination of Austria-Hungary’s Archduke Franz Ferdinand triggered World War One.
Events are traced from the shooting by Serbian Gavrilo Princip on 28th June 1914, through to the responses of the two rival military alliances.
There is also a brief account of the tensions caused by the expansionist ambitions of the major European powers.
This clip is from the series WW1 A to Z.
Teacher Notes
Pupils could identify on a wall map of Europe all the countries mentioned in the commentary.
They could add pins or flags to the map, with labels to represent key moments in the outbreak of war.
They could find out more about the death of Franz Ferdinand from a range of information sources and discuss the question, ‘How could one man’s death spark a world war?’
This short film is suitable for teaching history at Key Stage 2 / Second Level or above.
B is for Battalions. video
Newsreel and dramatic footage illustrate how the British army recruited groups of friends and neighbours to fight together.
C is for Conscription. video
Newsreel and dramatic footage describe how Britain introduced conscription - compulsory army recruitment - in 1916.
D is for Diary. video
Pupils examine wartime diaries and discuss the value of first-hand accounts. In a monologue, a war widow reads from her husband’s diary.
