Global Transformation and Conflict 1914-1939
The World Between 1914 and 1939
- World War I (1914-1918) caused great human and economic losses, as well as strong resentment among the conquered countries.
- The triumph of the Russian Revolution of 1917 created a political, economic, and social model radically different from the capitalist force of that time and encouraged the labor movement in other countries.
- The economic crisis of 1929, which affected the capitalist world, caused a rise in unemployment and social unrest by encouraging the spread of communism among the proletariat and sparking fear of a social conservative revolution within the bourgeoisie.
- Totalitarian political regimes came to power in some countries that considered capitalism incapable of solving economic and social issues. These regimes carried out an aggressive foreign policy that culminated in World War II.
- Culture and art reflected these shifts; literature echoed the crisis of values and the prevailing pessimism, while the new avant-garde art emerged, seeking a break with traditional art.
The Origins and Causes of the War
The origins of the war must be sought in different types of causes, as follows:
- Territorial conflicts: Various countries faced disputes. France claimed Alsace-Lorraine from Germany; Russia and Austria-Hungary vied to extend influence in the Balkans and find an exit to the Mediterranean; and Italy demanded the territories of Istria and Trento, located in the Adriatic Sea, from Austria-Hungary.
- Nationalist conflicts: Different nationalities that were part of the great empires faced each other and the imperial power. This was the case with the nationalities existing in the Austro-Hungarian and Turkish empires, especially in the Balkan area.
- Economic rivalries: These augmented with the rise of industrial Germany, which was considered a threat to the British and French economies. This rivalry arose alongside colonial expansion, which was a constant source of tension between the major European powers.
- Arms race and alliances: During a period of armed peace, two sets of military alliances were formed: the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) and the Triple Entente (France, Russia, and Britain).