1. World War One is called a world war not only because many countries from all around the globe were included in it. This Great War was supposed to be quick and almost painless. The countries were prepared, allies were made and strategies were developed. The army forces or many countries were ready for battle and were just waiting. However, not only the military men and women were drawn into this war. “The war involved more than the major European nations and Japan; their colonies participated too, providing massive assistance and serving as battle grounds.” (World History, p. 800) This war pulled everyone in: fighters and civilians. This is why it is called a total war. Economies were changed to help supply the war, civilians learned how to behave and how to do that, which will be most helpful for the soldiers fighting to protect them. Many experts expected this war to last a year or more, but it stayed on for four years. This was very unexpected and many were not prepared for it. Entire societies were mobilized, not just men. During the war, women in the US worked in factories and with the efforts they put in during these times, they earned their voting right.
2. Many experts agree that the treaty of Versailles was made on soft ground. It could not last. The resolution to which the allies came was unreasonable. Everything got blamed on a small number of countries and they were made to pay for all. “In general, the new states were economically and politically weak.” (World History, 816) This is unrealistic. All that this treaty created was a country of people who kept working and not getting anything. The reparations were draining the economy and a rebellion was inevitable. Someone needed to save Germany. Many countries got hit hard by the Great Depression, but none as much as Germany. When kilograms of cash are needed to buy a piece of bread, one realizes that this is not how life should be. The citizens of this poor country wanted change and they got it. Hitler was their savior. And who knows, if the country and its people were not in such a bad state, maybe they would have had enough understanding in them to realize the cruelty of their savior.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hunt. World History. Chapter 25. World war one and its aftermath. 2009
