Contemporary World History Final Research Project (Essay Sample)

Contemporary World History: World War I The origins of World War I are complex and controversial. World War I was the first global war, and it was a war of unprecedented scale and significance. It changed the geopolitical map of Europe and paved the way for future conflicts in other parts of the world. The 1914 Great War started after Austria-Hungary and Serbia declared war on each other in July 1914. A chain reaction ensued, with Russia and Germany then going to war. On September 3 that year, Britain and France both declared war on Germany (John Graham Royde-Smith and Showalter). The conflict lasted until 1918 and involved many countries outside Europe. The United States entered the conflict in 1917 after Germany attacked at least one U.S.-owned ship in international waters, marking an early point when America became directly involved in European affairs (John Graham Royde-Smith and Showalter). Understanding the factors leading to the war, how it occurred, and its lasting effects on the global scale is inevitable to comprehend the actual idea and picture of its definition and meaning. Factors Leading to World War I The causes of World War I are complex and no specific reasons related to the outbreak of the war. However, there are significant prior events responsible for the heated pressure that must have led to the outbreak of the war. According to a source from Norwich University Online, some of the significant factors leading to the war include European expansionism, Serbian nationalism, the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, and conflicts over alliances. Therefore, this section addresses the four factors respectively. During the 1900s, various European nations had empires that spanned the globe. Before World War I, the French and British Empires were the most powerful countries in the world, and they had been colonizing various regions such as India, North Africa, and West and Southeast Asia (Norwich University Online). The rise of these empires, which is also known as imperialism, was considered a key factor in the hostilities between European nations. The tensions in colonial societies were caused by various factors, such as their exploitation by their mother nations. After they were conquered, they were then ruled by the imperial nation. This type of ruling also led to resentment and dissatisfaction among the people of these nations. Tensions between various empires, such as Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire, grew as French and British expansionism continued (Norwich University Online). This led to the creation of the Central Powers and the Allied Powers. Second, During the early stages of World War I, nationalism was a key political force. Serbian nationalism dates back to the 1800s, and two of its events are directly related to the start of the war (Norwich University Online). In the Balkans, the Slavic Serbs wanted to be independent of Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire. They tried to establish a unified Serbian state in 1878 (Norwich University Online). The nationalism of Serbia grew after the Ottoman Empire’s fall. Its rise culminated in the assassination of Austria's Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, which officially triggered World War I. Third, on June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was killed by Serbian gunman, Gavrilo Princip. He was chosen as a target due to his position as the heir to the Austrian Empire. Before his death, the Archduke visited Sarajevo to inspect the armed forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was one of the former Ottoman territories that Austria-Hungary seized in 1908 (Norwich University Online). Ferdinand was traveling in Sarajevo with his wife Sophie when he was attacked by a gunman named Princip (Norwich University Online). Following the incident, which led to the death of a soldier, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, which it rejected. Russia then came to Serbia's defense, which prompted the First World War. Finally, before the start of World War I, several European countries, including Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary, and Britain, formed alliances to ensure they would support one another in the event of a conflict between two powerful nations. These alliances were firmly in place before the war. In 1907, Russia, France, and Britain formed an alliance known as the Triple Entente, which caused tensions among various nations (Norwich University Online). Germany regarded this as a threat to its existence and power. As tensions grew, other countries started to declare war against one another. Due to the conflicts over alliances, countries had to come together to defend one another. This led to the formation of World War I's two sides: the Central and Allied Powers (Norwich University Online). By the start of the war, the US and Italy joined the Allied Powers, which included Great Britain, France, and Russia. The Effects of World War I During the War Steven Mintz’s article for the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History highlights the effects of the First World War during the war. During World War I, around 9 million people died, and about 5 million were involved (Mintz). It was the deadliest conflict in history, costing more than $180 billion in direct costs and $151 billion in indirect expenditures (Mintz). Among the first weapons used were tanks, airplanes, submarines, poison gases, and long-range artillery. The First World War had more significant consequences than any other war. It led to the downfall of several monarchies, including those in Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey in 1918 (Mintz). It also contributed to the rise of the Bolsheviks in Russia in 1917 and helped trigger the emergence of a new dictatorship in Italy in 1922 (Mintz). The war significantly disrupted the economies of Europe, allowing the US to become the world's largest creditor. It also caused widespread social consequences, such as the mass killing of Armenians in Turkey and the pandemic that led to the deaths of over 25 million individuals worldwide (Mintz). In 1916, around 100,000 British soldiers were charged with walking across no man's land in the Battle of the Somme on a single day (Mintz). They were fired upon by German forces as they moved toward their enemy trenches. During the war, over 400,000 British soldiers died, as well as over 40,000 were wounded (Mintz). The number of soldiers from the Hapsburg Empire who were killed during the war was 1.5 million (Mintz). Therefore, this means that during the war, bitterness was developed against nations and individuals. The Post-War Effects of World War I Significantly, the aftermath effects of the First World War include revolutions and economic recessions. According to a source published by The Holocaust Explained, Germany's conditions did not improve even though the war was over in 1918 (The Wiener Holocaust Library). Allied forces still blocked the entry of supplies and food into the country. Although some of these eventually made it to Germany, the lack of supplies and the high prices caused by the blockade contributed to the rise of nationalism and antisemitism. Many Germans were against the new government, and some people still held loyalty to the Kaiser. In early 1919, violent revolutions occurred in various parts of Germany (The Wiener Holocaust Library). Berlin was threatened by the Spartacist Uprising. Bavaria's southern region was then occupied by a communist state in 1919. In response to these uprisings, President Ebert deployed the Freikorps and the German army to crush them. These uprisings were quickly defeated, but the fear of another revolution similar to the one that occurred in 1917 still lingered in Germany. Furthermore, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the stock market crash in October 1929 marked the beginning of the Great Depression, a global financial crisis that lasted until 1933. The worst years of the crisis were between 1929 and 1933 (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum). Germany was among the countries that were hit hard by the Great Depression. Although it had already started to recover from the effects of the First World War and the Versailles reparations payments, the country's savings were wiped out by the hyperinflation of 1923 (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum). The economic problems of Germany during the Weimar Republic and the subsequent rise of Hitler made the public more receptive to his political messages. For instance, he promised to return the country to greatness. Personal Reflection How the Research Pieces Speak to One Another The research pieces speak to one another in a logical and significant way. The first piece by Norwich University Online speaks about the factors that led to the First World War. This research piece reflects on the atmosphere preceding the war and how the atmosphere created a suitable environment for the war to prosper. The second source by Mintz elabo...