ch 21

This chapter talks a lot about the first World War.  By 1900 Europe had controlled most civilizations.  World War I is when Europe finally began to be challenged.  Italy and Germany became one and Germany started to become very powerful.  There was a balance of two rivalries in Europe known as the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente.  The Triple Alliance was made up of Germany, Italy, and Austria.  The Triple Entente was made up of Russia, Britain, and France.  This rivalry is what sparked the world war.  Components that caused the breakout of the war are weak nationalism, industrialized militarism, and  Europe's colonial empires.  World War I was predicted to be a quick war.  Germany was defeated in 1918.  The war became a war of trench warfare. Each country's entire population was mobilized.  This meant a few changes: an expansion of government authority, women replacing men in factories, and labor unions excepting sacrifices.  The war led to questioning of enlightenment values and the superiority in the
West and it's science.  Asia and Africa increased their military skills and political awareness.  The United Stated appeared to be a global power.  The most significant post-war change had to be the the Great Depression, which hit in 1929.  Unemployment was a big issue going on, while people were losing their life savings.  MAin causes for the Great Depression include the booming of the American economy in the 1920's, stock market driving stock prices way up, and the crash of the stock market making the weak economy crash with it.  The worldwide empires made way for there to be a depression world-wide.  The positive to think about all of this is that the depression did end.  The bad economy of then reminds me of how bad everyone says the economy is now.  Knowing that people survived the Great Depression gives me more faith that this time of struggle will come to an end for everyone.  What is sad is that the World War I lead to a World War II that was even more global than the first World War and where 60 million people suffered death.  If there was anything that should be called the Great Depression, it should be that idea right there.  That is such a devastating number.