The 1914 assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was the event that sparked the war. After World War I broke out, the countries of Europe divided into two groups: the Allied Powers and the Central Powers. The Allied Powers were made up of France, Great Britain, and Russia. The Central Powers were made up of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. The United States avoided getting involved in the conflict as long as possible but eventually joined the war on the side of the Allied Powers in 1917. The Allied Powers won the war with the help of the United States. Which of the following sentences goes best at the beginning of the paragraph?
A.
Staying neutral was very difficult, however, because of America's close relationship with Great Britain.
B.
World War I lasted from 1914 to 1918 and involved several countries from around the world.
C.
At one point, Americans believed that getting caught up in a European war would not be beneficial.
D.
The Germans brutally announced that they would sink any enemy ship without giving a warning.