Term Paper on "History 20th Century"

Term Paper 5 pages (1334 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

changes brought about by World War I was the structure of the European map. Major empires crumbled with hundreds and thousands of casualties left behind. The toll of the war was as much emotional as anything else. Chodorow maintains, "The tense and tumultuous atmosphere of past-war Europe, however, was not conducive to the peaceful consolidation of democracy. The chaos left behind war and revolution soon proved too much for inexperienced parliamentary governments. In their place there emerged new dictatorial and totalitarian regimes, better suited to cope with a world in crisis" (Chodorow 886). One of the first regimes to emerge after World War I was in Russia in the twenties. "The victory of communism in that potentially powerful country introduced an entirely new and disturbing element into international affairs" (Chodorow 886). Political changes in Germany, Austria, and Hungary were closely associated with military defeat and "democracy in these countries carried a blemish that only time and success could erase" (Chodorow 886). It is not wonder that with so many countries in financial and emotional demise that recovery would be slow and painful. Other significant milestones that emerged from the war were the position of women and the infamous lost generation. Women and their place in society experienced an extreme change - they became valuable during the war in that they were instrumental in the labor movement. Work in general experienced a surge and "the wartime spur to industrialization produced a large increase in the industrial labor force all over Europe, and a good deal of labor unrest accompanied the transition to peacetime" (Noble 1033). In addition, post-war America experienced a boom that many refer to as the jazz age. The jazz age is often associated with lavish lifestyles in America. Additionally, the world was becoming smaller. Thomas Noble adds, "Mass consumption was the reverse side of the mass production that made possible the new prosperity of the 1920s. As it became possible to mass-produce the products of the second industrial revolution, more people could afford automobiles, electrical products like the radio and phonograph, and clothing of synthetic fabrics, made possible by the innovations in chemistry" (Noble 1033). The war literally touched all and while it might have been over, it was far from forgotten.

World War I ended with a series of treaties, the most important being the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty forced Germany to disarm and provide reparations, including "civil damages" (Craig 933). While Germany did attack first, it was virtually impossible for Germany to pay for all of the damage that occurred as a result of the war. Additionally, Germany "had not deliberately planned and instigated World War I" (933). I agree with this notion because the ramifications of the treaty were too overwhelming for any country to overcome. The debt that was placed upon Germany was too great to bear and only contributed to the economical burdens across the globe. It is also important to realize that the emotional strain of how the treaty was "signed" left much to be desired in Germany.

As noted, "The economic results of the war were even more serious than its political aftermath. The territorial losses by themselves caused a major economic shock among the defeated powers" (Chodorow 890). Realignment was not as easy as it sounded and it was slow going. The financial strain turned out to b one that Europe could not handle and the result was a severe economic crisis. Things only became worse when "no major Western European country of the United States provided strong, responsible economic leadership" (Craig 947). While the end of the war was a relief, picking up the pieces would prove to be a difficult task as well. Additional burdens placed upon Germany only compounded the situation.

By far, the most devastating of the effect of the war was the signing of Treaty of Versailles. Chodorow claims, "Within one decade, Europe had thus come full cycle from despair through hope and back to despair" (Chodorow 892). This… READ MORE

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