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Topic 2 & 3: World War One and its Consequences / The Postwar and The Russian Revolution

World War I marked the end of the world that had been forged in the 19th century. The ideas of classical liberalism were abandoned, absolutism disappeared, the map of Europe changed and this continent lost its hegemony before the emergence of new power: the United States.

After World War I, the Russian revolutionary movement began a period of change and transformation around the world. The ideological foundations of socialism were put into practice and the first socialist state in history was born.

After a period of reconstruction came years of growth and prosperity, which ended abruptly with the crisis of 1929. The Great Depression, initiated in the United States spread throughout most of the world.

These were the years of the rise of totalitarian and fascist regimes, with strong and sectarian leaders. His presence put the world in the face of a war of terribly destructive characteristics: World War II. Since then, the world has sought to reach a harmony difficult to achieve, trying to change the culture of war and violence for one that craves peace for humanity.

. A NEW GREAT POWER Before its entry into World War I, the United States of America was a nation of untapped military potential and growing economic might. The war changed the United States in two important ways: the country's military was turned into a large-scale fighting force with the intense experience of modern war, a force that was clearly equal to that of the old Great Powers; and the balance of economic power began to shift from the drained nations of Europe to America. However, the dreadful toll taken by the war led U.S. politicians to retreat from the world and return to a policy of isolationism. This retreat also undermined the League of Nations and the emerging new political order.

THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION After the bloodshed of 1905, Czar Nicholas II promised the formation of a series of representative assemblies, or Dumas, to work toward reform. Russia was a huge empire of 170 million of inhabitants of many nationalities. It was the begging of the industrialization. Russia was governed by Tsar Nicholas II. After their participation in WWI, brought hunger and social discontent, people live in an extremely poverty. Russia entered into World War I in August 1914 in support of the Serbs and their French and British allies.

UNION OF SOVIETS SOCIALISTS REPUBLIC (USSR) Since 1918, “White movement” supported by the Europeans Powers and sought to overthrow the Bolshevik government, then was defeated by the “Red army”. Lenin imposed “War Communism”. He nationalized industry and commerce. He requisitioned the farmer’s crops to feed the army. In 1919, Poles were expelled from Russia, but the country was devastated