Effects of the First World War
Immediate Effects of War
Political
● New Bolshevik govt in Russia and the Russian Revolution
● Lenin + Trotsky; not a stable govt, embroiled in civil war
● Competing claims about Brest-Litovsk land; now that Germany +AH lost,
Russia wants land back, but allies don’t agree
● Civil war until 1920, allies have troops in Russia trying to stop Bolshevik
● Austro-Hungarian empire collapse - ethnolinguistic divisions
● New German Republic - Weimar Republican
○ Republican government instead of king in charge; weak govt bc of
blockade and reparations; signs the Treaty of Versailles; population sees
govt as betraying German; revolution after the Kiel mutiny
● Ottoman empire, collapsed in 1922; weakened by loss in work; Attaturk
emerged as new nationalist leader of Turkey
● Rule of British empire diminished; certain colonies see status increase
○ Canada gains increased status; dominions instead of colonies
○ Important colonies have increased level of autonomy
Economic
● Europe has bad economic effects; after the war, there is bad inflation,
stagnanting GDP, US isn’t affected; going off gold standard
● Economic crisis in Europe throughout
● US emerged as leading economy
Human Cost
● 9-10 million soldiers killed, more wounded
○ Shell shock, PTSD, affected psychology of soldiers
○ “Lost generation”; cultural effects, ramifications in art and literature,
abstract expression and dadaism in post-war era; Hemmingway lived in
Europe after the war, disillusionment marks art after the war
● Civilian deaths due to blockades and refugee crises
● Spanish influenza pandemic exacerbated due to war; travel spread it from
continent; horrible healthcare in Europe; flu mostly killed young adult
populations
, Territorial Changes
● Germany lost some territory; lost around 13% of territory in Europe and about a
10th of German population
○ Lost Alsace-Lorraine
○ Lost Schleswig to Denmark
○ Lost Memel to Lithuania
○ Large portion of Eastern germany given to poland
○ East Prussia is a part of Germany, but is separated because they’re giving
Poland some sea access to strengthen Poland econ
○ Danzig becomes a free city and was administered by the league of
nations; compromise solution that will theoretically avoid conflict
○ Rhineland belongs to Germany bc it’s one of the wealthiest parts of
Germany, it became demilitarized bc France wants a buffer zone
○ Saar, a small portion of Rhineland, is occupied by the League of Nations
but administered by France for 15 years and the products thereof will
help to pay reparations
○ Austria Hungary shrunk a lot, Austria and Hungary go back to being 2
separate nations; two brand new nations created Czechoslovakia and
Yugoslavia, however, a lot of people in czechoslovakia are Germans
○ Yugoslavia used to be Serbia, and made Serbia bigger to do pan-Slavism
○ Russia - Brest-litovsk land largely became new states; poland became
reconstituted after being absorbed in russia empire
○ Baltics states, Finland declared independence
○ Romania and Greece expanded
● Italy got Tyrol and Triest, but they didn;t get dalmatian coast and not
everything they were promised in the Treaty of London, wanted Fume would
would become a Free City temporarily
Territorial Changes: Africa
Land in Africa was only considered because of German colonies
No discussion in treaties of the colonies of the victors
Most of Africa was colonized by European countries (Scramble for Africa), except for
Ethiopia (lasts for another few years) and Liberia (under indirect American control)
Germany lost Togo, Cameroon, German East Africa, German South west Africa
● Britain, France, and Italy wanted these colonies, but instead they compromise
by making mandates
○ Mandates - guaranteed sovereignty eventually, but colonies aren’t ready
yet; partial determination; technically controlled by LoN
Immediate Effects of War
Political
● New Bolshevik govt in Russia and the Russian Revolution
● Lenin + Trotsky; not a stable govt, embroiled in civil war
● Competing claims about Brest-Litovsk land; now that Germany +AH lost,
Russia wants land back, but allies don’t agree
● Civil war until 1920, allies have troops in Russia trying to stop Bolshevik
● Austro-Hungarian empire collapse - ethnolinguistic divisions
● New German Republic - Weimar Republican
○ Republican government instead of king in charge; weak govt bc of
blockade and reparations; signs the Treaty of Versailles; population sees
govt as betraying German; revolution after the Kiel mutiny
● Ottoman empire, collapsed in 1922; weakened by loss in work; Attaturk
emerged as new nationalist leader of Turkey
● Rule of British empire diminished; certain colonies see status increase
○ Canada gains increased status; dominions instead of colonies
○ Important colonies have increased level of autonomy
Economic
● Europe has bad economic effects; after the war, there is bad inflation,
stagnanting GDP, US isn’t affected; going off gold standard
● Economic crisis in Europe throughout
● US emerged as leading economy
Human Cost
● 9-10 million soldiers killed, more wounded
○ Shell shock, PTSD, affected psychology of soldiers
○ “Lost generation”; cultural effects, ramifications in art and literature,
abstract expression and dadaism in post-war era; Hemmingway lived in
Europe after the war, disillusionment marks art after the war
● Civilian deaths due to blockades and refugee crises
● Spanish influenza pandemic exacerbated due to war; travel spread it from
continent; horrible healthcare in Europe; flu mostly killed young adult
populations
, Territorial Changes
● Germany lost some territory; lost around 13% of territory in Europe and about a
10th of German population
○ Lost Alsace-Lorraine
○ Lost Schleswig to Denmark
○ Lost Memel to Lithuania
○ Large portion of Eastern germany given to poland
○ East Prussia is a part of Germany, but is separated because they’re giving
Poland some sea access to strengthen Poland econ
○ Danzig becomes a free city and was administered by the league of
nations; compromise solution that will theoretically avoid conflict
○ Rhineland belongs to Germany bc it’s one of the wealthiest parts of
Germany, it became demilitarized bc France wants a buffer zone
○ Saar, a small portion of Rhineland, is occupied by the League of Nations
but administered by France for 15 years and the products thereof will
help to pay reparations
○ Austria Hungary shrunk a lot, Austria and Hungary go back to being 2
separate nations; two brand new nations created Czechoslovakia and
Yugoslavia, however, a lot of people in czechoslovakia are Germans
○ Yugoslavia used to be Serbia, and made Serbia bigger to do pan-Slavism
○ Russia - Brest-litovsk land largely became new states; poland became
reconstituted after being absorbed in russia empire
○ Baltics states, Finland declared independence
○ Romania and Greece expanded
● Italy got Tyrol and Triest, but they didn;t get dalmatian coast and not
everything they were promised in the Treaty of London, wanted Fume would
would become a Free City temporarily
Territorial Changes: Africa
Land in Africa was only considered because of German colonies
No discussion in treaties of the colonies of the victors
Most of Africa was colonized by European countries (Scramble for Africa), except for
Ethiopia (lasts for another few years) and Liberia (under indirect American control)
Germany lost Togo, Cameroon, German East Africa, German South west Africa
● Britain, France, and Italy wanted these colonies, but instead they compromise
by making mandates
○ Mandates - guaranteed sovereignty eventually, but colonies aren’t ready
yet; partial determination; technically controlled by LoN
