WORLD WARS PAPER
Legacy of World Wars
Richard Castaneda
POL 401
Baker College
May 22, 2014
The First World War lasted from 1914 until 1918 and had major consequences that influenced a continuation to World War II. The war resulted in the dramatic change of the world map. Several empires disappeared and many new countries were born. World War I involved the signing of several peace treaties that benefited the Allies but left the countries like Germany in with loads of debt and with the frustration of defeat. The Treaty of Versailles may be considered as an unsuccessful treaty that failed to develop international relations. The treaty declared Germany as being responsible for the war and had to pay war reparations while its weakened economy suffered immensely. Germany borrowed huge sums of money from the U.S. and it provoked high inflation, which weakened the country even more. These economic situations had a great impact on the state of mind of the people. They were disappointed, offended and humiliated with the loss. The policy of the Nazi Party, founded in Germany just after World War I, was aiming at deceiving people Germany still had some forces to gain revenge. The defeat and all the economic difficulties were attributed to domestic factors and not a failed military strategy. In spite of signing peace treaties, it provoked further aggression. Germany’s desire to take revenge, to restore and to enlarge the empire and to prove their might to the world resulted in World War II.
At the end of the war, millions of people were homeless, the European economy had collapsed, and much of the European industrial infrastructure had been destroyed. The Soviet Union, too, had been heavily affected. In response, in 1947, U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall devised the "European Recovery Program", which became known as the Marshall Plan. Under the plan, during 1948-1952 the United States government allocated $13 billion for the rebuilding of Western Europe.
World War II
Richard Castaneda
POL 401
Baker College
May 22, 2014
The First World War lasted from 1914 until 1918 and had major consequences that influenced a continuation to World War II. The war resulted in the dramatic change of the world map. Several empires disappeared and many new countries were born. World War I involved the signing of several peace treaties that benefited the Allies but left the countries like Germany in with loads of debt and with the frustration of defeat. The Treaty of Versailles may be considered as an unsuccessful treaty that failed to develop international relations. The treaty declared Germany as being responsible for the war and had to pay war reparations while its weakened economy suffered immensely. Germany borrowed huge sums of money from the U.S. and it provoked high inflation, which weakened the country even more. These economic situations had a great impact on the state of mind of the people. They were disappointed, offended and humiliated with the loss. The policy of the Nazi Party, founded in Germany just after World War I, was aiming at deceiving people Germany still had some forces to gain revenge. The defeat and all the economic difficulties were attributed to domestic factors and not a failed military strategy. In spite of signing peace treaties, it provoked further aggression. Germany’s desire to take revenge, to restore and to enlarge the empire and to prove their might to the world resulted in World War II.
At the end of the war, millions of people were homeless, the European economy had collapsed, and much of the European industrial infrastructure had been destroyed. The Soviet Union, too, had been heavily affected. In response, in 1947, U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall devised the "European Recovery Program", which became known as the Marshall Plan. Under the plan, during 1948-1952 the United States government allocated $13 billion for the rebuilding of Western Europe.
World War II
References: [1] Biersteker, T. J. and C. Weber, Eds. (1996). State Sovereignty as Social Construct. New York: Cambridge University Press. Cassar, George. "World War I." In Ackermann, Marsha E., Michael Schroeder, Janice J. Terry, Jiu-Hwa Lo Upshur, and Mark F. Whitters, eds. Encyclopedia of World History: Crisis and Achievement, 1900 to 1950, vol. 5. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Modern World History Online. Facts On File Kaarbo, J. & Ray, J. L. (2011). Global Politics, 10th Edition. Published by Wadsworth Cengage Learning [2] Krasner, S. (1996). Compromising Westphalia. International Security. 20(3): 472-96. Retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/2539141