Gavrilo Princip
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| Image from Photos ofGreat War. |
BornObljaj, Bosansko Grahovo, Bosnia, Princip wasmember ofSerb group "Young Bosnia" (Mlada Bosna), which advocated Bosnia's unificationSerbia. The group was equippedpistolsbombs supplied byBlack Hand,secret societylinkssome Serbian officers,government officials althoughgovernmentSerbia had no knowledge ofplan. Austria set upmemorandumunacceptable demands which were aiming atrefusal from Serbia. MuchEurope's surprise, Serbia acceptedconditions however Austria found its casus belliSerbia's response whichjudged insincere. Austria delcared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914.
Having been too young attime ofassassinationfacedeath penalty, Princip receivedmaximum sentencetwenty yearsprison, where he was heldharsh conditions worsened bywar,he diedtuberculosis ofbone on April 28, 1918.
Gavrilohis six co-conspirators were inexperiencedweapons,it was only due tofreakish setcoincidences thatwere successful. The first member ofgroup attemptedshooting from an upstairs window, butrange on his gun was insufficient. The second member threwbomb (orstickdynamite, accordingsome reports) atcar, but missed. The explosion destroyedfollowing car, killing its driverwoundingpassengers. The assassin triedescape, but was beatendeath bycrowd. The next four never gotchance due toheavy crowds,it was beginninglook likeassassination would fail. However, Franz Ferdinand decidedvisitvictims ofexplosion inhospital. Princip had gone tonearby shop forsandwich, apparantly giving up, when when he spotted Ferdinand's car asdrove past. After dashing up tocar, Princip shot Sophie inhead, killing her instantly, andsecond shot hit Ferdinand inchest, but after that his gun lockedhe was arrested. The wound sustained by Ferdinand normally would not have been fatal, but because he had his suit sewn shut (he wasvery vain man,couldn't standsight ofcrease) he bleddeath intimetookcutsuit open.
The gun used by Princip wasBrowning M 1910 semi-automatic pistol7.65x17mm (.32 ACP) caliber.
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