How Second World War Changed European Society

The devastation of the Second World War forever changed European Society. The war wiped out a generation of young men and left millions of Europeans uprooted from their homes. Many wondered whether Europe could deal with the consequences of a war that challenged conventional wisdom. Ultimately Europeans found different ways to cope and overcome their darkest hour. The development of the East-West divide and the growing influence of the United States and Soviet Union impacted how Europeans coped. However, despite the ideological divide, both East and West stood steadfast to the evils of fascism. Eastern Europe gravitated towards Communism while Western Europe let democracy reign. Organizations like NATO and the Warsaw Pact formed and led to a, once again, divided Europe.
In France, a Western European country, thousands of French men and women joined the Communist Party. Similarly, some Eastern Europeans wanted a democratic system and closer relations with the West than the East. The overriding theme is that people became desperate to oppose fascism and looked for radical alternatives to help pick up the mess left behind from the Second World War. Many European countries began to develop large welfare programs to help care and protect their citizens. One example is the National Health Service (NHS) created in the United Kingdom in mid to late 1940s. Overall, Europeans coped in different ways and found different organizations and ideologies to console them in a time of difficult conditions. Ultimately, those who survived the war in Europe had to deal with a changed Europe and a changed world. The manner in which someone responds in the face of adversity is a test of one’s true character. The people of Europe ultimately faced adversity, dealt with it, and overcame it in their own unique