World War One was an everything-changer.
1. BORDERS changed, new countries appeared and old empires disappeared.
2. GOVERNMENTS changed and systems of government changed. Some democracies became more democratic because women were allowed to vote (USA, UK). Others changed from Monarchies to Democracies (Germany, Austria). Russia changed completely from a Monarchy to a Communist system.
3. The IMAGE of war changed. War was once thought to be a noble adventure, but after the First World War it was exposed as a horrible slaughter. This was due to the machine gun, chemical war, trenches, and the mass numbers of war casualties. At just one battle, The Somme, the UK armies lost 470,000 men killed, wounded and missing. The German army lost 225,000 soldiers at this same battle. In just five months, approximately 700,000 soldiers were lost and the trenches and front lines were mostly identical to the beginning of the battle.
4. TECHNOLOGY changed very rapidly during the war. Scientists quickly developed many new machines, weapons, medicines, and inventions.
5. The role of WOMEN changed forever. Once considered too ‘weak,’ women worked in factories, farms and other traditionally ‘male’ jobs.
6. ECONOMIES changed. Many countries were economically exhausted, such as Germany or the UK and France. The war damaged the winners as much as the losers. Only one country was economically stronger—the USA. After the war Russia decided to change its entire economic system from capitalism to communism.
7. SOCIETY changed. After the war, many things were modified to show consideration to groups that helped in the war effort. Labor laws limited working hours and gave rights to workers. New art, music, film and other expressions became popular. Mobility changed as automobiles became common. Literature changed to reflect new values. There was more modern technology in homes, especially electric devices.
8. NATIONS/ETHNIC GROUPS grew in awareness and demanded rights. These groups became more unified and “restive” (agitated) because they were often thought of as inferior by colonial mother countries.
*For every change, there are people in society who resist the changes. (conservatives)
*Some people are so unhappy they want to go backwards to a previous time. (Reactionaries)
The two most famous reactionaries are Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.