World War Causes & Consequences Analysis
World War Causes & Consequences Analysis
World War Causes & Consequences Analysis
Report
On
Submitted to,
Submitted by,
Nima Hossain Nira
ID- 111 101 137
Date of Submission: 25th April, 2014
Letter of Transmittal
25th April, 2014
Md. Abdul Hannan Zoarder
Faculty
School of Business
United International University
Thank you
Sincerely yours,
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Acknowledgement
I would like to thanks to the creator of the universe, our almighty Allah to give us all patience
and knowledge to prepare the report. We also very thankful to Md. Abdul Hannan Zoarder,
our respected faculty of International Financial Management. He is a very well experienced
faculty and we can successfully prepare the report under his best cooperation and guidelines.
I am also grateful to the most popular search engine Google for upgrading the recent
technology that assists us really well to find out necessary and desired inputs. In todays
world, the internet and websites support us in a great manner. I cannot think even a single
moment without its help.
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Table of Contents
WORLD WAR I (19141919): [The Causes, Effects & Importance] .................................................................... 1
a. Underlying Causes of the First World War: ................................................................................................... 1
b. Effects of the World War I: ............................................................................................................................ 2
c. Importance: ..................................................................................................................................................... 3
WORLD WAR I (19141919) [Summary of Events] ............................................................................................ 4
The Start of the War ........................................................................................................................................... 4
The Western and Eastern Fronts ........................................................................................................................ 4
The Ottoman Empire .......................................................................................................................................... 4
Trench Warfare .................................................................................................................................................. 4
The United States Entrance and Russias Exit .................................................................................................. 4
The End of the War and Armistice ..................................................................................................................... 5
Germany after the War ....................................................................................................................................... 5
Timeline of World War One ................................................................................................................................... 7
WORLD WAR II (19391945) ............................................................................................................................ 10
Treaty of Versailles: ......................................................................................................................................... 10
The Rise of Fascism in Italy: ............................................................................................................................ 10
Worldwide Economic Depression: ................................................................................................................... 11
Japanese Expansionism: ................................................................................................................................... 11
Anti-Communism:............................................................................................................................................ 11
Appeasement: ................................................................................................................................................... 11
Militarism: ........................................................................................................................................................ 11
Nationalism: ..................................................................................................................................................... 12
American Isolationism: .................................................................................................................................... 12
Impact of the Second World War ......................................................................................................................... 12
Seven Major Consequences of World War II ....................................................................................................... 12
Theaters of War: Where WWII Was Fought ........................................................................................................ 13
World War II: An Overview ................................................................................................................................. 14
What Caused World War II? ............................................................................................................................ 14
Rise of Dictatorships ........................................................................................................................................ 14
A World at War ................................................................................................................................................ 14
A Changed World ............................................................................................................................................ 15
Timeline of WW II ............................................................................................................................................... 16
References: ........................................................................................................................................................... 18
In 1914 the whole world was in the throes of a horrible war known as the World War I. It is
so called because of its unprecedented horribleness and extensive nature. It was an inevitable
consequence of the crisis in international situation towards the close of the nineteenth
century.
Eighthly, the Slavs in the Austrian territories Waged potent movement for their emancipation
from the Austrian yoke. They received direct and indirect assistance from Serbia.
These terrorists made a sudden attack on the heir apparent to the Austrian throne, Francis
Ferdinand and his wife who were then on sojourn in Serajevo (the capital of Bosnia, a
province of Austria) and killed them. This incident is popularly known as the 'Serajevo
Murder.
Ninthly, the Austrian government held Serbia responsible for this ghastly murder and a few
days later served an ultimatum on Serbia demanding a reply within forty-eight hours. Austria
was not satisfied with the reply and she formally declared war against Serbia on 28.
c. Importance:
From the historical point of view the World War I was of utmost importance in the history of
the World.
First, the War brought a total change in the map of Europe. The German, Russian, Turkish
and Austrian empires had fallen.
Second, out of the ashes of the four empires were born many new states like Czechoslovakia,
Yugoslavia and others. The extent of the old states of Europe also underwent major change.
Third, the spread of democracy & nationalism was another important aspect of the WW I.
Fourth, national movement gained strength in the countries of Europe, Asia and Africa. Also
democratic administrations were established in the newly emerging states.
Fifth, it is also to be remembered that dictatorships like Nazism of Germany and Fascism of
Italy developed because of the failure of democracy in these countries.
obligated
them
to
defend
certain
other
nations.
Western
and
eastern fronts quickly opened along the borders of Germany and Austria-Hungary.
In
the
west,
Germany
attacked
then France.
In
the
east, Russia attacked both Germany and Austria-Hungary. In the south, Austria-Hungary
attacked Serbia. Following the Battle of the Marne (September 59, 1914), the western front
became entrenched in central France and remained that way for the rest of the war. The fronts
in the east also gradually locked into place.
Trench Warfare
The middle part of the war, 1916 and 1917, was dominated by continued trench warfare in
both the east and the west. Soldiers fought from dug-in positions, striking at each other
with machine guns, heavy artillery, and chemical weapons. Though soldiers died by the
millions in brutal conditions, neither side had any substantive success or gained any
advantage.
Atlantic, declared war on Germany. Then, in November, the Bolshevik Revolution prompted
Russia to pull out of the war.
In summary, the main causes were- Growth of German power in Central Europe challenged
Great Powers (France, Great Britain, and Russia); International competition among European
powers for colonies and economic markets; naval rivalry between Great Britain and
Germany. Increase in size of European armies; Breakdown of the European treaty system and
the 19thc. Balance of Power. & Nationalism. The assassination of Prince Franz Ferdinand
in Sarajevo which caused Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia, dragging Germany and
Russia to war as well. The aggressive politics of the German Empire (annexation of French
Alsace-Lorraine and the buildup of the Navy), which made France and Britain bitter enemies
of Germany.
And the after effects were the creation of the Soviet Union (without a starving population and
soldiers fighting the central powers the Tsar would have been able to put down the red
revolution), & the defeat of Germany and the harsh terms of the Versailles Treaty paved the
way for the rise of Hitler and WWII.
The First World War ended officially on 28 July 1919, with the signing of the Treaty of
Versaille. The treaty blamed Germany for the war and required that nation to pay the most
reparations, to give up its overseas property, and to demilitarize at once.
Another huge result of the Treaty of Versaille was the changing of borders in Europe. France
was to gain back Alsace and Loraine, which had previously been taken by Prussia (Germany)
in the Franco-Prussian War in the 1870s. Germany also lost a lot of land, which was gained
by smaller, neighboring countries such as Denmark, Czechoslovakia, and Belgium. Germany
also lost the "Polish Corridor", which was (of course) given to Poland. In addition to this, the
Rhineland was to be occupied for 15 years as a buffer state between France and Germany.
Austria-Hungary was also fragmented into many small countries, leaving it permanently
weakened. In addition to this, the Ottoman Empire had crumbled during the war, leading to
newly "independent" Middle Eastern nation-states (which were quickly snatched up by
Britain, France, etc.)
The end of the war also caused a temporary economic bubble, which soon popped and the
Great Depression began.
July 5th
July 28th
August 1st
August 3rd
August 4th
August 23rd
August 26th
September 6th
October 18th
October 29th
Turkey
entered
the
war
on
Germanys
February 19th
April 25th
May 7th
May 23rd
August 5th
September 25th
December 19th
January 27th
February 21st
1916
April 29th
May 31st
Battle of Jutland
June 4th
July 1st
August 10th
September 15th
December 7th
February 1st
April 6th
April 16th
1917
Front
July 31st
October 24th
November 6th
November 20th
December 5th
December 9th
March 3rd
1918
Germany.
March 21st
March 29th
April 9th
July 15th
August 8th
September 19th
October 4th
October 29th
October 30th
November 3rd
November 9th
November 11th
Post-war 1919
January 4th
June 21st
June 28th
Treaty of Versailles:
After Germany lost WWI, the winning nations drafted a treaty to address issues such
as territorial adjustments, reparations, armament restrictions, war guilt and the League
of Nations.
The treaty punished Germany and left bitter feelings.
Germany was forced to accept all the blame for the war and pay millions in
reparations to Britain and France.
Italy was disappointed that it was denied territory promised by Britain and France.
The Rise of Fascism in Italy: Fascism is a totalitarian form of government which Benito Mussolini came to power in 1922 and helped found the political ideology of
fascism. He sided with the Axis powers in 1940
Glorifies the state
Has one leader and one party
All aspects of society are controlled by the government
No opposition or protests are tolerated
Propaganda and censorship are widely practiced
In Germany, depression, unemployment and hard times led to a dramatic increase in votes for
Hitler and the Nazi Party.
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Japanese Expansionism:
In 1931 Japan invaded Manchuria for raw materials.
The same year, Japan began to attack China, with full-scale war breaking out in 1937
in the Sino-Japanese War.
In 1938, war broke out between Japan and the Soviet Union in what were known as
the Soviet-Japanese Border Wars.
Anti-Communism:
Under communism, all means of production are controlled by the government, as are
property, the media, and all other aspects of society.
The 1930s saw the rise of many totalitarian regimes; but most people chose fascism
over communism.
Hitler exploited peoples fear of a communist takeover in Germany to rise to power in
1933.
Appeasement:
Appeasement is the act of giving in to an enemys demands in hopes of avoiding
further conflict.
In 1938, Hitler demanded that Czechoslovakia cede the Sudetenland to Germany. He
claimed that the German population living there was being mistreated.
The British and French prime ministers agreed to Hitlers demands without consulting
Czechoslovakian leaders, in the hopes that this would avoid a war in Europe.
Militarism:
The glorification of war- in which a nation strengthens its military and stockpiles
weapons in preparation for war.
An important aspect of militarism is that the glorification of war is incorporated into
all levels of society, including education of the nations youth.
Militaristic societies have existed throughout human history.
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Nationalism:
Nationalism is the belief in the superiority of ones own nation over all others.
In the extreme, it can lead to major conflicts between nations.
Hitler, Mussolini, and Japans Tojo each touted their nations ability to dominate all
others in the years leading up to WWII.
American Isolationism:
The failure of peace efforts such as the Kellogg Briand Treaty during the 1920s
disillusioned many Americans about international involvement.
The U.S. was in a major depression throughout the 1930s and was mostly concerned
with its own problems.
Conflict in Europe seemed distant, and the U.S. tried to remain neutral. This policy
weakened the European democracies.
The Nye Committee held congressional hearings in the mid-1930s, concluding that
the U.S. was tricked into entering WWI by arms manufacturers and Allied
propaganda.
Socially impact of WWII [Baby boomer]: After the war, there was a large population
growth in the world. 77 million American was born during this period. However, now
that baby boomers became older and requires extended health care. Baby boomers
comprise nearly 27% of the US population as of today.
Economically impact of WWII [Reconstruction cost]: After the war, most countries
encountered heavy losses in agricultural, industrial and especially economical. The
government had to spend lots of money to rebuild their industrial and infrastructure.
Unbalanced between light and heavy many manufacture when the war ended, light
and heavy industry became unbalanced and that causes a serious trouble for our
society.
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Rise of Dictatorships
Germany, Italy, and Japan all came under the rule of dictators or military leaders. A dictator
named Mussolini took power in Italy in 1922. Military leaders took control of Japan in the
early 1930s. In Germany, Adolf Hitler, leader of the Nazi Party, gained power in 1933. These
leaders promised to restore their countries to greatness. But they set up totalitarian
governments. (A totalitarian government is controlled by a single political party that allows
no opposition and tightly controls people's lives.)
Hitler began to arm Germany for war. Japan invaded China. Mussolini sent Italian troops to
conquer Ethiopia, in Africa. None of the world's democracies did anything to stop them.
A World at War
Hitler had a plan to conquer Europe. He began by taking Austria, then Czechoslovakia.
Again, no one tried to stop him. As Winston Churchill, who became Britain's wartime leader,
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said, "Britain and France had to choose between war and dishonor. They chose dishonor.
They will have war."
Churchill's words came true. In 1939, German troops invaded Poland. World War II in
Europe had begun. The U.S. did not enter the war until December 1941, but once it did, it
took a leadership role. U.S. troops fought in North Africa, Europe, and the Pacific. At home,
Americans rolled up their sleeves to out produce the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan)
in the weapons of warplanes, battleships, and guns. Everyone did their part.
A Changed World
Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945, ending the war in Europe. The war in the Pacific did
not end until after the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on Japan the only time such bombs
were ever used in war. Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had led the U.S. in wartime, did not live to see peace.
But in a speech written but never delivered, he spoke of the need to preserve peace: "Today
we are faced with the preeminent [above all other] fact that, if civilization is to survive, we
must cultivate the science of human relationships the ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to
live together and work together in the same world, at peace."
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16
Timeline of WW II
1939
Hitler invades Poland on 1 September. Britain and France declare war on Germany two days later.
1940
1941
1942
American naval victory at Battle of Midway, in June, marks turning point in Pacific War.
1943
1944
1945
Russians reach Berlin: Hitler commits suicide and Germany surrenders on 7 May.
Truman becomes President of the US on Roosevelt's death, and Attlee replaces Churchill.
After atomic bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrenders on 14 August.
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References:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/ww2_summary_01.shtml
http://www.kidzworld.com/article/6157-overview-of-world-war-ii
http://world-war-2.info/summary/
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007306
http://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/ww2/summary.html
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/world-war-ii-overview
http://www.shmoop.com/wwii/summary.html
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