4. Most of World War l is told through the stories of the Great Powers such as France, Cermany, Brit- ain, or the United States. But small nations also played important roles. Describe the importance of Serbia and Belgium to the war's beginning and its spread. __

## Step 1<br />The question asks us to describe the importance of Serbia and Belgium to the beginning and spread of World War I. <br /><br />## Step 2<br />Serbia's role in the war is significant because it was the site of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by a Serbian nationalist. This event is widely recognized as the trigger for the war. The assassination led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia, which in turn led to the involvement of other countries due to the complex system of alliances in place at the time.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />Belgium's role in the war is also important. Despite being a small nation, Belgium was strategically located between Germany and France. When Germany invaded Belgium as part of their plan to quickly defeat France, it led to Britain declaring war on Germany. This was because Britain had promised to defend Belgium in the event of an invasion.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />Therefore, both Serbia and Belgium played crucial roles in the beginning and spread of World War I. Their actions and the reactions of other countries to these actions led to the escalation of the conflict into a full-scale war.