Why was the assassination a turning point?
Europe After World War 1
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Gavrilo Princip sparked World War 1, which ended with around 8.5 million deaths. While there were underlying factors, without this critical event history would likely have been different. World War 1 led to the end of the monarchies in Russia and Germany. It led to the end of the Ottoman Empire, with its many possessions in the Middle East being divided between England and France, divisions that are still being felt in political events today. World War 1 left the German economy bankrupt, which set the scene for Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party to make promises and get into power in Germany. This led to World War 2, which had even more millions of deaths and led to the Cold War between the Communist Bloc and the Western Powers. The war also led to the creation of the League of Nations, the predecessor to the UN. This represented a paradigm shift in political thinking - being the first time that a global body was considered to maintain world peace. World War 1 led to a re-division of Europe into different countries than existed at its beginning, as well as division of colonies in Africa between the victors.
World War 1 is acknowledged as setting up the conditions that led to World War 2, which in turn led to the Cold War. The Cold War led to numerous conflicts around the world that led to the installation of repressive regimes in Africa, Latin America and Asia. It led to conflicts such as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the results of which included eventually the rise of the Islamic militancy. All of this, just because Franz Ferdinand's driver took a wrong turn on a Bosnian road back in 1914 and Gavrilo Princip was able to assassinate him.
World War 1 is acknowledged as setting up the conditions that led to World War 2, which in turn led to the Cold War. The Cold War led to numerous conflicts around the world that led to the installation of repressive regimes in Africa, Latin America and Asia. It led to conflicts such as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the results of which included eventually the rise of the Islamic militancy. All of this, just because Franz Ferdinand's driver took a wrong turn on a Bosnian road back in 1914 and Gavrilo Princip was able to assassinate him.