World Wars and the Economy “It was an industrial war where a country’s whole economic output was geared to war; a war of empires that pulled combatants from nations across the globe. It was a war of land, air and sea, a war of politics, espionage and also the Home Front…this was total war”
- Rupert Colley
Wars cause excessive disruptions to economies, generally impeding on economic development and prosperity (Mokyr 2003). They require national redirection of resources to wartime activities, being both human and capital. As a result, wars are increasingly expensive, causing severe shocks to the economies of countries involved. World War I was named the ‘Great War’ as it was the first time in history where so many nations were involved, who
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Britain being the most successful imperialist nation had occupied the largest amount of land, battling against Russia and France for more. With the emerging threat of Germany seeking to aggressively increase their influence outside of Europe (Grant 2013; Broadberry & Harrison 2005), Britain, France and Russia had formed an alliance (Ross 1997). The threats to British position and the ensuing tension between European nations had invariably led to conflict.
The Arms Race “The accelerating arms race is transforming the armed peace into a crushing burden that weighs on all nations…[and] will lead to the very cataclysm is seeks to avert”
- Tsar Nicholas II
Many have contended that the Arms Race in Europe during the late 1800s would lead to war instead of preserving peace (Ross 1997; Grant 2013). In 1890, Germany attempted to combat the British world leading naval force by producing new warships - Britain in turn built bigger and more powerful ships and so on. This military escalation is what is believed to have made war inevitable (Keegan 1999). As one nation increased its military power, so too did their enemies to keep the balance of power. By the beginning of WWI, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Italy and Austria-Hungary had spent over 398 million pounds on their militaries (Llewellyn, Southey & Thompson
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With concerns of their alliance causing further tension, British and French militaries began working together to defend their countries if there was a German resistance (Grant 2013). Militaries across these nations were preparing to mobilise their men if the time came (Ross 1997).
The Outbreak of War
On June 28, 1914, a young Serbian, Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his wife (Ross 1997). Austria-Hungary gave Serbia an ultimatum which would ultimately secure Serbia as an Austrian-Hungarian nation (Dowling 2007). Serbia refused to accept all the clauses of the agreement, and so Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on 28 July 1914 (Ross 1997; Grant 2013). At this point, Russia declared war on Austria-Hungary
France (ally of Serbia) declares war on Austria-Hungary. England helped France, Germany helped Austria-Hungary.
Economic climate during wartime Recovering from “the war to end all
On June 28, 1914, Franz Ferdinand and his wife were visiting Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, to inspect the army. At the same time, seven young Bosnian Serbs, part of a terrorist group known as the Black Hand, were putting their plan to assassinate Franz Ferdinand, into action. Franz Ferdinand and his wife were in the motorcade when one of the members threw a grenade at it. It missed and instead it it the car behind them. At this point, Franz Ferdinand decided to abandon the visit and return home via another route. However, no one informed the chauffeur and he ended up taking the wrong turn. He drove by Gavrilo Princip, one of the conspirators, who was at the time returning home thinking he had failed. When he saw the motorcade, he realized he still had a chance. Princip pulled out his revolver and shot at both Franz Ferdinand and his wife. They were dead within minutes. The Austrian government was looking for a reason to to send ultimatum to Serbia and they finally had a chance. Serbia refused to comply and Austria declared war. Europe's “long-smoldering feuds” had finally erupted into war.
"World War 2 was a war fought in two distinct phases. The first was the last war of a new generation. The second was emphatically the first of a new era" .
From 1939 to 1945 the majority of the world’s nations were part of a long deadly six-year war, World War II. These included two strong powerhouses, Great Britain and The United States. Millions died world wide, declaring World War II to be the most expansive war to date. The Holocaust, and the use nuclear weapons resulted in such a high death toll. Nations were in a state of “total war,” involving not just the military but also the entire nation. Civilians were aggressively aiding in supporting their military, creating a home front, making a significant impression on the result of the war. Rationing, defense and manpower were concerns for governments; and they made any economic and industrial change to support their efforts in aiding their nation and military.
Conflict for power existed not only in Europe, but because of imperialism it spread across much of the Eastern Hemisphere. First and foremost, economic rivalries had developed between Britain, Germany, and France. The two Allied members of the group were very concerned about their Central opponent, as both wished to contain Germany’s territorial claims on the resource- and labor-rich continent of Africa.
Wars have been around for centuries. A typical battle was fought on land. The infantry would line up and fire at the advancing enemy. World War I was first called "the Great War" because of the number of lives lost (Coetzee 11). There were approximately nine million deaths over the course of the four years the war lasted (11). World War I began because of the assassination of "Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne" (17). Tensions were high and war seemed the only solution (17). The alliances in Europe were well formed by the time 1914 arrived (17). "The Central Powers" were "Germany and Austria-Hungary" (Westwell 8). "The Triple Entente" were "Britain, France, and Russia" (8). All of the countries and citizens believed in the cause of the war from the very beginning (9). That enthusiasm would quickly change once the introduction of new weapons and strategies were revealed (9). Every country involved was seeking ways to improve on the resources they needed to fight, and hopefully win the war. None of the countries involved wanted the other side to have a military advantage over the other (7). World War I had technological inventions such as machine guns, poison gas, tanks and submarines, which changed the strategy of war. The outcome of these inventions resulted in more death and destruction than previous wars.
An Evaluation of International Imperialism, the European Arms Race, and Militarism in the Origins of First World War
To carry on, prior to World War I, numerous wars such as the American Civil War, the Napoleonic Wars, or the Opium War of China had been fought, but mostly for the sole purposes of territorial expansion or acquiring resources. However, “World War I was greeted with incredible enthusiasm. Each of the major belligerents was convinced of the rightness of its cause, demonstrating the power of nationalism.” (William J. Duiker and Jackson J. Spielvogel, World History, vol. 2, 667). After the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the views of war changed drastically, and a new romantic idea about the war was born. War was now perceived as a great opportunity to prove an individual’s or nation’s greatness. “Now, God be thanked Who has matched us with His hour,
Going in to war, Britain is interested in territorial expansion in Europe and sees France as a
The Naval Arms Race was a major factor of World War One. In a parliament speech made by Sir Edward Grey (the British Foreign Secretary), it is stated,
World War 1 was called “The Great War”, “The war to end all wars”, and “The first modern war”. It had many causes and a few repercussions and I will describe them in detail.
In effect, nationalism was also a contributing factor to the alliance system. No country feels comfortable being in a war alone, and with the growing militaries in almost every country, allies provide much comfort. The supreme present of militarism, "a policy of aggressive military preparedness", in this period of time gave all countries great reason to feel the heavy weight of an oncoming war. Great Britain's naval policy (to always be twice as big as the next two largest navies put together), along with the predominate feeling of war, provided countries with a strong reason to try and create an incredibly strong military force. This led to an arms race, which made the impending war seem inevitable.
If we define “Total War” as a type of warfare that affects and involves every part of a society, then World War I can be argued to be the first attempt by military and political leaders to engage in such a conflict. Modernity was at Europe’s door thus leading to the inventions and innovations that would allow for war on a scale, and of a scope, that had never before been considered. Yet, it was not the fact that these innovations and technologies existed, or that specific conflicts necessitated war, but rather that the political and military elite, coming out of an age of pompous militarism, made decisions based on previous experiences and not on future possibilities. These decisions had an adverse affect not only on the outcome of the war politically (as far as treaties and borders were concerned), but it affected individuals at a grassroots level creating a subsequent era of distrust, listlessness, and eventual aggressive feelings creating the perfect storm out of which Nazism could rise.
To conclude the Great War encompassed all factors of a total war; economic, social and political. The whole population was mobilized towards the war effort and everyone’s attention concentrated on winning the war. Being one of the first total wars in history, it showed that wars are not always conflicts of armies against armies, but rather conflicts of societies fighting societies. Britain had to create harsh laws, mobilize the entire population and use all accessible resources to defeat the triple alliance. Therefore, there is no doubt that World War I fulfilled all characteristics of a total war
Although the Age of Anxiety historically began in 1900, the Great War was a major contributer to the sense of displacement and chaos present during that time. The Great War, also referred to as World War One, began in 1914 and lasted until 1918. The main players in this war were Russia, Serbia, Germany, Austria- Hungary, France, Britain, Italy and the United States. Prior to the outbreak of war, there was increased tension and hostility between the great European powers over militarism, imperialism, and nationalism. In particular, the European nations were in rivalry with each other over their armies and navies. Germany’s military, especially, became a growing threat; a threat that increased when it formed an alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy. As a result, Britain, France, and Russia were brought together in alliance. Although there were several factors that caused the war, the war immediately broke out after the July Crisis of 1914 in which Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were assassinated. The Great War was the very first extensive war, or total war, in which the weapons used were extremely deadly and horrible.
...may have prompted the start of the Great War, but the high losses and sufferings of the soldiers, as seen in Erich Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front, will never be justified by the reasons for war. Conflicts between countries are an inevitable thing, as there are multitudes of differences between all cultures and nationalities. Even so, there are few causes where a country is justified in going to war over. If there is a dispute between countries, it is usually not important enough for multiple nations to wage total war against each other. War causes a huge loss of life, and no successful cause can fully justify the amount of ambition, memories, knowledge, and futures that may be lost in the process.