The Great War, also referred to as World War 1, happened between the year 1914 to 1918, involving several nations from Eastern and Western Europe, among other countries (Cole & Symes, 2017). The war changed the western world in many ways, both economically, technologically, politically, and culturally. Even though World War destroyed many lives and infrastructures, it led to several developments in politics, medicine, social attitudes, and warfare. After The Great War, western technology was advanced with submarines, tanks, and airplanes development from the experience of the war (Cole & Symes, 2017). New technologies, equipment, and weapons were created, and they played critical new roles in future conflicts. The advancement in technology transformed, living conditions, communication, and traveling for people all over the world. The war led to growth in production techniques, the building of new war armament manufacturing industries, and overall advancements in technology.
Medical professionals had to attend to wounds as many people were injured during the war. Thus, it meant that medical interventions had to be made to deal with the situation. Blood donation started during this war when doctors realized that blood needed to be kept ready for arriving casualties (Cole & Symes, 2017). Alongside that, modern surgery was first implemented during the First World War, as well as doctors needed ways to save as many lives as possible (Cole & Symes, 2017). Military and civil health centers were used for theatres to experiment with different medical interventions during the war. Veterans who pulled through the war and were left disfigured and mutilated benefited from the invention of skin grafting, which happened due to the war. Doctors and other health care professionals began to look into the emotional and not only the physical effects of war. Besides that, many people lost blood, and so came the discovery of the possibility of blood clotting prevention in 1914 (Cole & Symes, 2017). This discovery led to the development of blood tanks. During this war, army generals and health care professionals acquired many essential skills in providing medical help in warfare. Therefore, as much as the war brought loss of lives, it somehow helped with advancements in medical technology.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
After the war, Europe was devastated, tired, and was left in critical economic disaster, with permanent economic aftermath. They were faced with debts they had taken to finance the war, rebuilding of industries, and inflation. Hence, they had to start building new factories, fighting economic inflation, and recovering from their debts from scratch. This was a great loss to western Europe. Due to this, a large part of Europe was displaced from the world’s centre of economy, and the United States took the lead (Cole & Symes, 2017). Acceleration of markets and money decentralization benefited several African, South American, and Asian nations as they became economically stable and depended less on Europe. Therefore, Europe had to depend on these nations for natural resources. As a result, these nations profited from supplying their natural resources to Europe.
The aftermath of the First World War led to women liberation and promoted gender equality. The war led to job freedom, with women leaving their domestic roles and getting into jobs, which had been meant for men in the past. Several women who found themselves working in factories were unwilling to go back to domestic service (Cole & Symes, 2017). It changed the appearance of women. Corsets gradually became less popular, with trousers coming into existence for the first time. Short hair among women became fashionable. In 1918, women acquired the right to take part in the election of leaders. Thereafter, the 1919 Sex Removal Act gave women the right to employment despite their gender (Cole & Symes, 2017). The contributions women made during this time led to progress and changing of laws for better opportunities and equality for them. Hence, the war played a significant role in supporting women’s freedom and liberation.
The Great War caused the Russian Revolution, the downfall of Hapsburg, and the destruction of many empires. The falling of these empires created several new nation-states, brought new governments, different political structures, and promoted independence movements across Europes's colonies (Cole & Symes, 2017). The war transformed the European labor and socialist movement. Armaments' skilled workers previously enjoyed higher incomes and good food for strike action banning. However, the working and living circumstances for industrial employees slowly crashed. Socialists started to demand peace, and in 1918, the trade union motion became much stronger (Cole & Symes, 2017). The existence of a strong communist nation in Asia and Europe greatly transformed world politics.
The greatest loss of the First World War was the loss of many lives. About 16 million people died in the war, including civilians and the military. Families lost their loved ones; many people were left with permanent scars and deformities that made some of them kill themselves. Generations of young people were almost entirely wiped away (Cole & Symes, 2017). All potential artists, inventors, leaders, writers, and teachers who were killed in the war were a permanent loss to the nations. The war brought both positive and negative transformations to not only the western world but also the world as a whole.
References
Cole, J., & Symes, C. (2017). Western civilizations: their history & culture . New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
