Another specific answer:
I. Losses and damages caused by the Great War
The first world war broke out from1965438+on August 4th, 2004 to1918165438+1October1kloc-0/,which lasted for four years and zero. There are 33 countries and about 65438 people participating in the war. During the war, the two sides mobilized about 7.35110,000 people to the front, including 48.35 million allied countries and 2510.6 million allied countries. The proportion of male citizens of major warring countries who have been mobilized to join the army is as high as 50%, and even more than half in some countries, such as France. During the whole war, there were dozens of large-scale battles on thousands of kilometers of fronts, and every battle was almost a massacre. The belligerents not only used all new weapons, but also mobilized all political, economic and propaganda forces.
The most direct and obvious consequence of war is the great loss and destruction of human and material resources. 9 million soldiers died directly in the war, another 20 million people were injured, 3.5 million people were permanently disabled, and about 6.5438+million people died of hunger and epidemics. The direct economic loss is about $65.438+080.5 billion, and the indirect economic loss is about $65.438+051600 million. A large number of houses, railways, bridges, factories and farmland were destroyed. The total loss of allied and neutral merchant ships was as high as 6.5438+0.285 million tons, of which the submarine sank 654.38+0.65438+0.55 million tons. Production has been hit hard. From a purely economic point of view, industrial development in Europe has gone backwards for eight years.
Second, the rise and fall of imperialist powers.
One of the main consequences of World War I was the decline of Europe and the rise of the United States and Japan.
The Russian Empire ruled by Romanov, the German Empire ruled by Hornsoren and the Austro-Hungarian Empire ruled by Habsburg perished. Three reactionary fortresses in Europe were destroyed and replaced by the Soviet Union and a series of bourgeois republics such as Germany, Austria, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary.
Although Britain and France were victorious countries, they were severely weakened in the war. On the surface, the territory of the British empire has expanded, but the centrifugal force of the dominion is increasing day by day, and the British empire is finally reorganized into the Commonwealth. The struggle for national independence between India and other colonies is in full swing and can no longer be subsided. As the largest economic power in the world, Britain lost its position to the United States as early as 19 13. After the war, the gap between British and American economic strength widened, and Britain's position as a maritime hegemon was gone forever.
In short, Europe has gone into decline, while the United States and Japan, which rose on the eve of the First World War, have greatly developed their own strength by taking advantage of the war. In addition to not being destroyed by war, the cost of war in the United States is also lower than that in other countries. British war expenditure accounts for 32% of national wealth, France accounts for 30%, Germany accounts for 22%, and the United States only accounts for 9%. During the war, the United States accepted a large number of orders from various countries. From June 19 14 to June 19 17, US exports of goods reached US$ 6.9 billion, and the trade surplus surged from US$ 430 million in June 19 14 to US$ 65,438. The rapid expansion of exports has led to the rapid development of production. From 19 15, the United States entered a new five-year "war prosperity" cycle. Take manufacturing as an example. During the seven years from 19 13 to 1920, the output of European manufacturing decreased by 23%, while that of the United States increased by 22%. By 1920, the power generation of the United States is equivalent to the sum of Europe, steel production accounts for more than half of the world's output, and oil production accounts for two-thirds of the world's output. 19 16 years ago, the gross national product of the United States was131300 million dollars, and it rose to151800 million dollars in 2008. Total agricultural income surged from $7.8 billion in 19 14 to an unprecedented level in 19 15, and then soared to $1917.7 billion in 2009.
After the war, the United States became the largest creditor country and the largest capital exporter in the world. American foreign investment increased from about $2 billion in 19 13 to 1930, of which 30% was invested in Europe. By 19 19, the allies owed the United States 10 billion dollars, of which Britain borrowed about 4 billion dollars, France borrowed 3 billion dollars from the United States, and more than 20 countries in the world owed debts to the United States. The gold reserves in the United States increased greatly, from $700 million in 19 13 to $2.5 billion in 192 1 year, and then to $4.5 billion in 1930. 40% of the global gold reserves are in the hands of the United States. Britain's gold reserves increased from $200 million in 19 13 to only $800 million in 192 10. The international financial center began to shift from London to new york, and the status of the dollar in the world currency rose, while the status of the pound began to decline.
The first world war also made Japan develop abnormally. It almost monopolized the northeast market of China by taking advantage of the "God-given opportunity of the Great War", and stepped up its economic penetration into its colonies while Britain, the Netherlands and France were busy with the war. A large number of military orders from Russia, Britain and other allies have also greatly stimulated the Japanese economy. Due to the submarine war in Germany, the ships of the allies were hit, and the Japanese shipping industry developed first. The shipping industry has also driven other industries, industrial and agricultural production has become more and more active, investment in enterprises has become more and more enthusiastic, and the company's profits have doubled. During World War II, foreign trade increased fourfold, bank assets tripled and average output increased by 1 fold. From 19 14 to 19 19, the total industrial output value actually increased by 1.8 times, especially in shipbuilding and shipping. In just a few years, Japan has changed from an agricultural country to an industrial country (although the level of industrialization and technology is still not high), from a long-term foreign trade surplus to a surplus, and from a debtor country to a creditor country. From 19 14 to 19 19, Japan's total balance of payments exceeded 3 billion yen. In addition to paying off Japan's foreign debts before the war, it also bought wartime bonds from Britain, France and Russia and lent 2.77 billion yen to foreign countries.
Third, a series of revolutions caused by the war
One of the most important political consequences of the First World War was the victory of the Russian proletarian socialist revolution, and a series of proletarian revolutions and bourgeois democratic revolutions broke out under the influence of the Russian revolution, which were absolutely unexpected when the two imperialist groups launched the war.
At the beginning of the war, both sides hoped to make a quick decision, but by the end of 19 16, the war was in a stalemate. At this time, the front and rear armies of the allies have reached 25 million, and the allies have reached about150,000. Every great war is a massacre. Because a large number of farmers have been drafted into the army, a large number of land is barren, agricultural and livestock products have generally reduced production and prices have risen. 1916-1917 brought great disasters to the working people in the warring States period, and many people died of hunger and cold. More and more people want to know why we are fighting this war. With the deepening of the economic crisis in the warring countries, the people's anti-war movement is growing. The number of strikers in France was 465,438+0,965,438+0,000 in 65,438+06 and soared to 290,000 in 65,438+0,965,438+07. The strike in Germany 19 17 was the fiercest in April, with 300,000 participants. The workers strongly demand peace without annexing the territory of other countries. Front-line soldiers are in high anti-war mood. 19 17 The French mutiny in May and June was the most representative. About 30,000 to 40,000 soldiers refused to carry out combat orders. They said that they would never die for five sous a day (equivalent to 65,438 +0/4 francs).
Among the vassal States, the reactionary and decadent Russia had the deepest crisis, so the revolution broke out here first. Lenin said: "The extreme aging and corruption of the tsarist system (plus the blow and burden of extremely painful war) have caused great destructive power to ourselves." Russia's backward economy can't support a protracted war at all, let alone the serious damage to the national economy in the war. During the period of1914-1917,150,000 people were enlisted, but only 3.3 million rifles were manufactured. Soldiers without guns waited patiently to pick up the rifles of fallen comrades in the stormy shotgun. Because a large number of farmers joined the army, the agricultural labor force was greatly reduced, and the number of farm livestock decreased from19180,000 in 2004 to19130,000 in 2007. Grain harvest decreased 1/4. Inefficient command, coupled with a serious shortage of weapons and ammunition, by the end of 10, the Russian army had lost 6 million people (including death, injury, disappearance and capture). Near the end of the war, the number of losses increased to about 8 million. Workers, peasants and soldiers were hungry and bleeding, and they couldn't stand it any longer, so they had to fight. After the February Revolution, the provisional government was stubborn and continued the imperialist war, which determined that it was bound to perish. Under the leadership of Bolshevik Party and Lenin, the October socialist revolution finally succeeded.
Under the influence of the Russian revolution, the November bourgeois democratic revolution in Germany, the proletarian socialist revolution in Hungary and the proletarian political strike in which Britain, France and the United States supported the Soviet Union broke out.
Fourth, the new upsurge of the national liberation movement.
1905 after the Russian revolution, there were revolutions in Turkey, Persia and China, and revolutionary movements also appeared in India. The First World War further promoted the development of the colonial and semi-colonial national liberation movement. During the war, the imperialist suzerain was busy killing each other, temporarily relaxing its control over the colonies and semi-colonies, taking advantage of the gap, the national industry developed, and the ranks of the national bourgeoisie and proletariat also grew, becoming an important political and social force against imperialism. Imperialist countries also recruited a large number of soldiers from the colonies, familiarizing the colonial people with military technology and equipment and innovative machinery, and they in turn used the skills they learned to oppose colonial rulers. Lenin said: "The imperialist war also awakened the East and involved the people of all ethnic groups in the East in international political life." May 4th Movement in China, Non-violent Non-cooperation Movement in India, Kemal Revolution in Turkey and so on. Explain: "In the contemporary revolution, it is time for all ethnic groups in the East to participate in determining the fate of the world, so as not only to be the object of other countries' wealth. "
Verb (abbreviation of verb) the emergence of a new pattern of international relations
/kloc-the international pattern in the 0/9th century was that European powers ruled the world. After World War I, on the surface, imperialist powers still rule the world, and it seems that the Versailles-Washington system designed and established by the victorious countries will exist for a long time. However, after the war, two huge political forces emerged, which were not controlled by imperialism. The first is the proletarian revolutionary movement in socialist countries such as the Soviet Union, and the second is the vigorous national liberation movement in colonial and semi-colonial countries. The combination of these two forces made it impossible for imperialist powers to rule the world in the19th century and the early 20th century. The Versailles-Washington system itself contains insurmountable contradictions. The defeated Germany could not bear the humiliating and harsh peace treaty and had to take revenge. The victorious Italy and Japan felt that there were too few spoils and waited for an opportunity to carve up the world again. 193 1 year, Japan launched the September 18th Incident, which first broke the Washington system in the Far East, and then 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia, breaking the Versailles system in Africa and the Mediterranean. 1935 Germany announced the implementation of universal compulsory military service, 1936 German troops entered the demilitarized zone of the Rhine River, which was a blatant tear of the Treaty of Versailles. The two victorious countries and one defeated country in the First World War finally came together, formed an alliance and launched the Second World War. Since the first world war, two emerging and huge progressive political forces have emerged, the second world war is no longer an imperialist war like the first world war, but an anti-fascist war of the people of the world, which has been of this nature from the beginning.
After the First World War, the process of human progress accelerated, but this was of course unexpected by the initiators of the imperialist war.