Hello readers! This post is an important one because we'll be wrapping up the series of WWI posts by examining the effects the war had on the world. So, without further ado, let's get started.
World War I was a devastating war, the effects of which are still being felt 100 years after its conclusion. The Great War was the deadliest war involving multiple countries, with over 9 million military personnel deaths and over 7 million men left permanently disabled. The Great War was the most expensive war up until that point. The Great War also boasted the most advanced weaponry than any war that came before it, with war goods such as tanks, submarines, air planes, poison gas, machine and gatling guns, and various other artillery forms being the norm on the battlefields. Given this information, it's no surprise that the effects of the war are still being felt a century later; however, what were done specific effects of the war?
- The conclusion of the war saw the downfall of four longstanding monarchies: Austria-Hungary, Germany, Turkey, and Russia.
- The war made people more open and accepting of other ideologies such as the Bolsheviks, communism, socialism, and fascism.
- The conclusion of WWI effectively marked an end to colonialism, with revolts to end colonialism in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East as people became more nationalistic.
- The Great War was the most costly war of the time, leaving European countries deep in debt and making the United States the leading creditor in the world; thus, the war shifted the economic balance of power.
- As a leading aggressor in the war, Germany's economy suffered greatly after the war and Germany had to pay reparations, which led the economy to suffer further.
- With soldiers traveling from country to country, influenza spread, killing 25 million people worldwide.
- Due to the methods of war that were used in WWI, countries became embittered and it became evident that a governing body was necessary to promote security and peace worldwide, so the League of Nations was formed.
- The war promoted research in the fields of technology, transportation, and communication.
- The war promoted social changes, such as women's suffrage and labor laws, to improve living standards and quality of life.
There are many other effects that can be attributed to the Great War, but regardless of how long or short that list is, what is certain is that the world was never the same again.
