Pearson Baccalaureate – World History:
Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars
Cross-regional war: WWI – Effects (p.77 -97)
After WWI: Europe was very different from that of 1914 and very chaotic:
→ empires had disappeared, communist revolution = real threat of revolution spreading across
Europe, starvation, displacement and epidemics
The impact of the war on Europe – the situation in 1919
The human cost of the war:
Nine million dead soldiers, many casualties among civilians, millions more died from famine,
disease and the Spanish flu epidemic in the aftermath.
Economic consequences:
o All powers had financed the war by borrowing money (manly USA), which is why (B &
F) spent most of the 1920s paying back.
o Land, infrastructure and industry had been destroyed during war = dramatic decline in
manufacturing output → Europe faced an economic crisis in 1919
Political consequences:
While F and B didn’t face any political changes after the war, all monarchical regimes in
Central Europe had collapsed.
Germany: Many socialist uprisings → Kaiser abdicated and fled, Socialist became new leader.
Russia: First revolution (1917): removed the Tsar and brought a Provisional Government in
charge. Second revolution (1917): Government overthrown by Bolsheviks, which wanted to
install a dictatorship → civil war until 1920
The Habsburg Empire: Austria and Hungary split up and the other nationalities formed
independent states.
Turkey: collapse of sultanate = authoritarian regime
Central and Eastern European territory in turmoil & growth of socialist politics
in weakened post-war states.
Impact of the war outside of Europe – the situation in 1919
America: emerged from the war as the world’s leading economy and advanced in areas such as
mechanization etc. Many Americans never wanted to be involved in WWI and therefore
demanded to stay out of European affairs and concentrate on local problems in future.
Japan & China: economic growth and opportunities of expansion. Discussions between them
over territory.
Problems facing the peacemakers in 1919
Versailles Peace Conference was mainly dominated by the UK, the USA and France. Italy and
Japan had little to say.
Problems: political and social instability in Europe (fast acting), different aims of peacemakers,
nature of Armistice settlement and mood of Germans and the popular sentiment in the Allied
countries. → discussed below!
Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars
Cross-regional war: WWI – Effects (p.77 -97)
After WWI: Europe was very different from that of 1914 and very chaotic:
→ empires had disappeared, communist revolution = real threat of revolution spreading across
Europe, starvation, displacement and epidemics
The impact of the war on Europe – the situation in 1919
The human cost of the war:
Nine million dead soldiers, many casualties among civilians, millions more died from famine,
disease and the Spanish flu epidemic in the aftermath.
Economic consequences:
o All powers had financed the war by borrowing money (manly USA), which is why (B &
F) spent most of the 1920s paying back.
o Land, infrastructure and industry had been destroyed during war = dramatic decline in
manufacturing output → Europe faced an economic crisis in 1919
Political consequences:
While F and B didn’t face any political changes after the war, all monarchical regimes in
Central Europe had collapsed.
Germany: Many socialist uprisings → Kaiser abdicated and fled, Socialist became new leader.
Russia: First revolution (1917): removed the Tsar and brought a Provisional Government in
charge. Second revolution (1917): Government overthrown by Bolsheviks, which wanted to
install a dictatorship → civil war until 1920
The Habsburg Empire: Austria and Hungary split up and the other nationalities formed
independent states.
Turkey: collapse of sultanate = authoritarian regime
Central and Eastern European territory in turmoil & growth of socialist politics
in weakened post-war states.
Impact of the war outside of Europe – the situation in 1919
America: emerged from the war as the world’s leading economy and advanced in areas such as
mechanization etc. Many Americans never wanted to be involved in WWI and therefore
demanded to stay out of European affairs and concentrate on local problems in future.
Japan & China: economic growth and opportunities of expansion. Discussions between them
over territory.
Problems facing the peacemakers in 1919
Versailles Peace Conference was mainly dominated by the UK, the USA and France. Italy and
Japan had little to say.
Problems: political and social instability in Europe (fast acting), different aims of peacemakers,
nature of Armistice settlement and mood of Germans and the popular sentiment in the Allied
countries. → discussed below!
