The Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary, heir to the throne, by a Serbian Nationalist on June 28th, 1914, and then Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia the next month, but they were Russia's ally, Germany threatened to intervene if they joined, they did, they joined in after that, then France joined being Russia's ally, with Britain soon joining after Germany was forced to attack Belgium, who they promised to protect (there is a theory they were just looking for an excuse to join and I think that as well), and then 4 years later until it ends in November 11, 1918