World War One

World War II was a key point for America because it changed the world order, which changed the course of American history. The United States became stronger and more powerful: it was also responsible for creating international institutions, which led to the new world order. Some of these institutions include the International Criminal Court, NATO, and the World Trade Organization. The other major impacts caused by WW2 include: a Communist versus Democracy axis and creating the state of Israel.

World War One

What caused Germany to become so evil during World War II? It was partly the Treaty of Versailles, the Germans were not completely at fault for World War I, which is why the Treaty of Versailles blamed Germany which was part of the cause of World War Two.  France, Russia, and Germany were major players of World War I. France had a major portion of land taken during World War I.  Germany was pulled into the war by Austria; it wasn’t completely Germany's fault. Russia’s imperial dynasty was overthrown after World War I. France, Russia, and Germany were key countries during World War I that changed the course of history, helping cause WW2.

France, during World War I, was a major role-player and wasn’t always the victim during the First World War. Two-thirds of France was occupied by the Germans in 1914. The other 1/3 was considered a buffer zone. Antisemitism during this period of time was starting to get considerably worse. [1] “The Jewish question” was a main course of topic during this time. [2] During this time, the creation of a Jewish state was starting to gain traction. Europe was starting to shift more fascist during the middle of World War I. They also started to be more discriminatory towards Jews. Europe was starting to outvote or remove politically left-leaning politicians.  [3] Germany during World War One wasn’t completely the instigator, unlike in World War Two.

Germany led a long, costly, war-filled with forts and trenches. In the trenches, they had rats that ate the dead bodies. Other than the rats, Germany also used chemical weapons, including participating in chemical warfare. They used poison gas; however, the British, French, and the U.S weren’t completely innocent, they used poison gas as well. To fight against poison gas, soldiers wore gas masks; however, some couldn’t put them on in time, which meant that they suffered painful deaths. Russia also revolted from the Bolshevik Empire and turned into the Communist country that we know today, which was fully recognized after World War II. Russia’s monarchy was overthrown in the Red Revolution after the terrible defeat during World War I.

The Russian Revolution of 1917 was a direct consequence of the First World War. Russia during the First World War was incredibly corrupt, inefficient, and unpopular among ethnic minorities. [5] The ethnic minorities wanted to break free from Imperial Russian rule. [6] Russia’s main religion was Eastern Orthodox during the First World War. Imperial Russia was overthrown, and afterward it turned into the Bolshevik Empire. [7] Russia was already weakening before the Bolshevik Revolution. Russia was very strong in Asia until the Russo-Japanese War in 1904-1905, where the Russians were badly defeated. This was the start of the weakening of the Russian Empire. [8]

World War I wasn’t completely Germany's fault. France was partially to blame; it had attacked Germany 80 times in 200 years, and Austria pulled Germany into the war. This was why the Treaty of Versailles was viewed as bad by the Germans, which helped lead to Nazi Germany and World War II. France and Germany had been longstanding rivals, and at least in World War I, the Germans were the victims. They were not the victims of World War II, and no one is arguing against that. Germany became evil, and they were led to a counter reaction throughout the world that led to communism becoming a major threat/ powerful force throughout the world. Many countries throughout the world have at least considered Communism, and even some American citizens. It was a counter reaction.

Bibliography

Kershaw, Ian. To Hell and Back: Europe, 1914–1949. Narrated by John Curless. Unabridged audiobook. New York: Recorded Books, 2015.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, s.v. “Russian Revolution,” last updated October 31, 2025, accessed November 2, 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Russian-Revolution

Evans, Richard J. The Coming of the Third Reich. New York: Penguin Press, 2003.

[1] Kershaw, Ian. To Hell and Back: Europe, 1914-1949. New York: Viking, 2015, chapter 25.

[2] Ibid

[3] Ibid

[4] Richard J. Evans, The Coming of the Third Reich (New York: Penguin Press, 2003), 45.

[5] Encyclopaedia Britannica, s.v. “Russian Revolution,” last updated October 31, 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Russian-Revolution

[6] Ibid

[7] Ibid

[8] Ibid