Final answer:
The spark that ignited World War I was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary. The war began in July 1914 and the first few months were marked by rapid military mobilization and offensives.
Step-by-step explanation:
The spark that ignited World War I was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary. His assassination in June 1914 by a Serbian nationalist led to a chain of events that ultimately led to the outbreak of war. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, triggering a series of alliances that pitted countries against each other. Germany, Russia, France, and Great Britain all became involved, and the war quickly escalated into a global conflict.
The first few months of World War I were marked by rapid military mobilization and offensives. The war began in July 1914 and by the end of that year, both sides had launched major offensives. The Western Front in Europe saw trench warfare and heavy casualties, while the Eastern Front saw rapid movements and significant territorial changes. The first few months of the war set the stage for four long years of brutal conflict.