Compare the Historical Significance of First World War with That of the Second World War

2. Compare the historical significance of First World War with that of the Second World War. The First World War and the Second World War were the most large-scale wars which have been ever fought. They both have important and influential historical significance to the world. Some of their historical significance is similar while some contrasted politically, militarily, economically and in social and cultural aspects.
Politically, the two world wars were both significant in leading to the decline of European supremacy, further development of nationalism and establishment of peacekeeping bodies. First, after WWI, traditional European empires collapsed while Britain and France were also weakened. After WWII, the age of European supremacy even came to an end. Secondly, based on the principle of national self-determination, the powers created new nation states like Czechoslovakia and Finland after WWI, while more and more colonial nations became independent after the WWII. Thirdly, both world wars gave birth to two peacekeeping bodies-the League of Nations and the United Nations. However, the two world wars were differently significant in the rise of totalitarianism, the rise of the two superpowers, beginning of the Cold War and global decolonization. First, the rise of totalitarianism in Europe (Germany &Italy) only occurred after WWI but did not occur after WWII. Secondly, there is other additional significance of WWII, the rise of the two superpowers and the beginning of Cold War. The US and the USSR replaced Europe to dominate world politics after WWII. Thirdly, as the Western colonial powers were greatly weakened by the WWII, they could not resist their colonies’ demands for independence. Decolonization therefore developed rapidly after WWII but not WWI.
Militarily, the two world wars were both significant in changing the nature of warfare. Both of them led to the invention of new weapons and progress in science and technology. However, their military significance was of different extent, the WWII changed the nature of warfare to a further extent than the WWI. After WWI, new weapons including tanks, machine guns, land-mines and poison gas were invented. WWI also marked the beginning of warfare in the air. However, WWII even led the world into the more destructive Age of Nuclear War, in which all major powers developed nuclear weapons, having the ability to kill millions of people in a short period of time. Economically, both wars caused huge economic losses in Europe and Asia, but to different extent. The total cost of WWI was estimated to be US$330 billion while that of WWII was as high as US$1,000 billion. Moreover, cities like Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Berlin were completely destroyed after WWII but not WWI. Additionally, WWII also aroused the awareness of the European countries to carry out economic cooperation. This was not seen after WWI. After WWI, due to the deep hatred and suspicion among nations, they tried to protect their own industries by imposing high tariffs on imports instead of helping each other to revive the economy. However, after WWII, the European countries understood that they could not revive their economies by their own efforts. So, they carried out economic cooperation, such as setting up the OEEC and COMECON. This was an unprecedented achievement and significance after WWII. In social and cultural aspects, the two World Wars caused heavy casualties apart from huge economic losses but to different extent. It is estimated that 10 million soldiers died in WWI while the scale of WWII was even greater with 60 million people killed in battles, massacred or bombing. The casualties caused unprecedented impact to the society. One of the most important significance of the two world wars is the rise of women’s social status. After WWI, since the wartime contributions of women were recognized after the war, many professions were open to women and women in some countries were even given the voting right. After WWII, the status of women further rised. Women’s liberation movements flourished after WWII. There is an additional significance of WWII comparing with WWI, the recognition of racial equality. During WWII, people of different races joined the Allies to fight against the Axis Powers. This wartime experience made some white people give up their mindset of racial discrimination. Due to huge casualties resulting from WWII, the Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948, stating that all people are born equal and should have the same rights, freedom and dignity regardless of race and colour. In conclusion, WWI and WWII both have important and influential historical significance to the world. Some of their historical significance is similar while some contrasted or extended politically, militarily, economically and in social and cultural aspects.