Impacts of World War I
The repercussions of World War I (WW I) can still be felt centuries down the line. It is considered the Great War as it involved more than one hundred countries, affected numerous people all over the world, and was the most expensive. Furthermore, the weapons that were used were more advanced and included poisonous gas, tanks, long-range artillery, submarines, and airplanes. It is no wonder it came to be referred to as the war to end all wars as no previous war had adversely affected the world on such a scale. The war caused the death of millions, led to the collapse of various empires, the start of colonial revolts, the emergence of new nation-states, and changed the economic balance of the world, making the United States the top world power nation.
In the history of the human race, WW I was the deadliest and caused the death of more than sixteen million people, with the total civilian and military casualties being above thirty-seven million. While most of the soldiers died in battle, diseases, or infections such as the Spanish flu killed others (Strikwerda, 23). Civilians also died as a result of the war disrupting farming and trade, hence a reduction in the supply of food. There also were genocides such as in the one in the Ottoman Empire that caused the death of 1.5 million Armenians.
Another impact of the WW I was on the economy. Unlike various European countries, the United States economy was not highly disrupted by WW I. Factories, and the countrysides were not destroyed and were, in fact, functioning better than before. In essence, WW I increased the rate of industrial production, thus led to an economic boom. The United Kingdom and France were adversely affected but were able to recover faster than Germany economically. With the rate of inflation skyrocketing, political tensions, and the Treaty of Versailles, requiring Germany to make reparation payments to its allies, Germany fell into an economic depression (Bessel, 30). The unemployment rate also rose, and the hyperinflation led to the devaluing of the German currency.
Towards the end of WW I, there was a rise in political unrest that led to revolts in different nations. Russia went through the February Revolution that led to the overturn of the monarchy. Later on in October, the provisional government that had been formed was overthrown, and the rule of law was taken over by the communists. The political uncertainty and the successful revolutions in Russia inspired other revolutions all over the world. After the end of the war, a Socialist Revolution broke out in Germany and led to the formation of the Weimer Republic, which, in 1930, was replaced by the Nazi Party (Llanque, 75). Between 1918 and 1920, there occurred the Irish War of Independence, the Egyptian Revolution, and the Hungarian Revolution and the Biennio Rosso in Italy. Colonial revolts also took place in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The remnants of the Ottoman Empire then became Turkey.
The empires of monarchs collapsed, and new nations were born due to the war. Austria-Hungary was divided into Hungary and Austria, and there further emerged other independent territories such as Yugoslavia. Poland and other countries received land from Germany and Russia while Latvia, Finland, Lithuania, and Estonia became independent. The collapse of the Ottoman Empire led to the declaration of Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan as mandates of the League of Nations. The Turkish War of Independence then led to the remnants of the Ottoman Empire becoming Turkey.
The scope of the devastating first modern war changed situations and brought about several challenges. It led to the death of millions in combat as well as due to diseases and famine. Numerous changes in the world order also took place as empires collapsed, revolutions were started, new nations arose, and the United States of America emerged as the leading superpower. These effects can still be observed in the contemporary world.
Works Cited
Bessel, Richard. Germany after the First World War. Oxford University Press, 1993.
Llanque, Marcus. “The First World War and the Invention of ‘Western Democracy.’” Germany and ‘The West’: The History of a Modern Concept, edited by Riccardo Bavaj and Martina Steber, 1st ed., Berghahn Books, NEW YORK; OXFORD, 2015, pp. 69–80. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt9qctj1.7. Accessed 2 May 2020.
Strikwerda, Carl. “World War I in the History of Globalization.” Historical Reflections / Réflexions Historiques, vol. 42, no. 3, 2016, pp. 112–132. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/44631084. Accessed 2 May 2020.