Pearson Baccalaureate – World History:
Causes and Effects of 20th Century
Wars
01: Overview: Causes and effects of 20th-century wars (p. 3 – 9)
General:
o Two world Wars; WWI (1914-1918) & WWII (1939-1945)
o Between World Wars and after 1945: plenty more wars between & within nations
o Increasing number of civilian casualties during 20 th century
o Technological development of weapons (nuclear weapons)
WWI:
→ swept away empires & ”old order”; set stage for new social & political developments
WWII:
→ USA & USSR = superpowers; decline of European powers (Britain & France)
→ led to Cold War & collapse of European empires
Interstate war:
Between two or more states (most of the wars in the 20 th Century); only national forces are used
to fight
A war of total mobilization: (WWI & WWII)
Human, economic & military resources are used to seek compete victory
e.g.: conscription, civilians (home defence, industry), control of media, using all weapons…
A war of limited mobilization: (Gulf War, Falklands War)
e.g.: limited geographical area, limited attackable targets, limited use of weapons and
mobilization. after 1945 almost every war in 20 th century was a limited war (nuclear weapons
were not utilized)
Civil wars: (Spanish Civil War)
Conflicts fought between two factions of a country, because of disagreement in ethnicity,
politics, territory and ideology.
Aim: To take control of the political & legal institution of the state
Guerrilla Warfare:
Small groups of fighters against a large, more powerful army; tactics such as ambush and small-
unit raids are used & very often the guerrilla fighters have the support of the local population
and good knowledge of the terrain.; used in the cold war; oppressed population against
oppressing superpower.
Causes
Economic: conflict over economic resources, raw materials… (ex: Gulf War)
Territorial: conflict over possession or control of land (between states: control of particular
territory, within a state between groups: gain control of land)
Social: tensions between social groups or classes in a country/region (Spanish Civil War)
Political: war begins through class between different political factions
Causes and Effects of 20th Century
Wars
01: Overview: Causes and effects of 20th-century wars (p. 3 – 9)
General:
o Two world Wars; WWI (1914-1918) & WWII (1939-1945)
o Between World Wars and after 1945: plenty more wars between & within nations
o Increasing number of civilian casualties during 20 th century
o Technological development of weapons (nuclear weapons)
WWI:
→ swept away empires & ”old order”; set stage for new social & political developments
WWII:
→ USA & USSR = superpowers; decline of European powers (Britain & France)
→ led to Cold War & collapse of European empires
Interstate war:
Between two or more states (most of the wars in the 20 th Century); only national forces are used
to fight
A war of total mobilization: (WWI & WWII)
Human, economic & military resources are used to seek compete victory
e.g.: conscription, civilians (home defence, industry), control of media, using all weapons…
A war of limited mobilization: (Gulf War, Falklands War)
e.g.: limited geographical area, limited attackable targets, limited use of weapons and
mobilization. after 1945 almost every war in 20 th century was a limited war (nuclear weapons
were not utilized)
Civil wars: (Spanish Civil War)
Conflicts fought between two factions of a country, because of disagreement in ethnicity,
politics, territory and ideology.
Aim: To take control of the political & legal institution of the state
Guerrilla Warfare:
Small groups of fighters against a large, more powerful army; tactics such as ambush and small-
unit raids are used & very often the guerrilla fighters have the support of the local population
and good knowledge of the terrain.; used in the cold war; oppressed population against
oppressing superpower.
Causes
Economic: conflict over economic resources, raw materials… (ex: Gulf War)
Territorial: conflict over possession or control of land (between states: control of particular
territory, within a state between groups: gain control of land)
Social: tensions between social groups or classes in a country/region (Spanish Civil War)
Political: war begins through class between different political factions
