WORLD WAR ONE
Causes and Consequences

I . Why do modern historians consider WWI to be the defining event of the 20th Century?

A. The First "MODERN" War
B. Changed the BASIC ASSUMPTIONS of virtually the entire global society
C. Radically changed THE SIZE OF NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS
D. Put the US on the road to SUPERPOWER status

II . HOW WAS THE GREAT WAR DIFFERENT FROM ALL PREVIOUS WARS?

A. The SCALE of the conflict
B. The size of the DEATH TOLL
C. The level of VIOLENCE: A new kind of armed confrontation characterized by evolving changes in TECHNOLOGY
1. ADVANCES IN WEAPONRY and the MECHANIZATION OF WARFARE
2. The spread of TRENCH WARFARE (on the Western Front)
3. The fate of the WOUNDED (particularly in No-Man's Land)

D. INCREASED PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE:
1. Non-stop SHELLING
2. Anonymous MASS DEATH
3. Repeatedly SENT BACK TO THE TRENCHES

E. THE WIDESPREAD PRACTICE OF TOTAL WAR
1. TOTAL MOBILIZATION of states and societies
2. War waged on ENTIRE POPULATIONS
3. "FORGOTTEN VICTIMS": The treatment of civilians in occupied territories

F. CIVILIZATION, BARBARISM AND WAR FERVOR
1. The concept of"A HOLY WAR"
2. This "DEMONIZATION OF THE ENEMY"
3. WAR FERVOR

G. SCALE OF BEREAVEMENT

III . WHAT WERE THE CAUSES OF "THE GREAT WAR"?

A. IMMEDIATE CAUSE: Assassination of Franz Ferdinand B. UNDERLYING CAUSES-- M A N I A
1. THE RISE OF MILITARISM
2. ALLIANCES OF EUROPE'S COMPLEX SYSTEM OF MUTUAL DEFENSE
3. NATIONALISM
4. IMPERIALISM.
5. AUTOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS

IV . WHAT WERE THE CONSEQUENCES OF "THE GREAT WAR"?

A . POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES
1. The fall of Empires
2. The decline of European powers

B . ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES: War costs
1. England becomes a debtor nation
2. US becomes creditor to the World
3. Much of the infrastructure of France and Belgium destroyed
4. Germany faces burdens of war "reparations"
C . SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES : the status of the aristocracy is diminished
D . CULTURAL CONSEQUENCES
1. War Weariness
2. Both pacifism and nihilism become more common.
3. Widespread pessimism about the future of civilization
E . AFTERWARDS : The Treaty of Versailles
F . HOW DID WWI LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR WWII?
1. Political Chaos
   a. Instability
   b. The rise of military dictatorships
2. Crushed Economies
   a. Depleted resources
   b. Demolished infrastructures
   c. Massive unemployment
   d. Worldwide depression
3. Social Chaos : Impact of millions of dead, wounded, widowed, orphaned and displaced

STATISTICS
50 MM in uniform
10 MM Killed in Action : Ru 2.2 , Gr 2.0 , Fr 1.4 , AH 1.4 , En 0.8, Ot 0.7 , It 0.6 , Ro, 0.3 , Co 0.2 , US 0.06
20 MM wounded
Civilian
13 MM killed : 5MM widows ; 9 MM orphans
20 MM wounded
Flu : ~20MM died



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