WOMEN & EUROPE

Women- Europe society & Governance 1914-1990

Women- Europe society & Governance 1914-1990

Europe after 1918

Europe has been scarred by war. The human loss was unprecedented. Nearly 10 million people were dead and wounded were as twice the number. It looked as the end of civilization. The situation is exacerbated by the deficit of births during the war. The war also resulted in the killing of civilians, with the first genocide of the twentieth century in Armenia. The economic consequences were disastrous. The destruction is enormous in frontline areas (north and north-eastern France in particular). The financial and social cost of war were huge. The middle classes were particularly affected by the loss of value of money. The review particularly affects European countries begin to decline in the international arena. Power transfer occurred between Europe and the United States.

The map of Europe was changed by the peace treaties. The German, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Russian disappear in favor of new states such as Poland, Czechoslovakia and the Baltic States. But peace at Versailles decided generates dissatisfaction among the vanquished as Germany must pay reparations, but also among the winners like Italy that does not get all the territories claimed. These dissatisfactions and the consequences of the Russian Revolution lead to instability on the continent where war continues in various forms after November 11, 1918.

The ordeal of the war marked a generation of men who find themselves in the veterans' associations. In France, they keep the memory of the fallen and denounce the absurdity of war. Germany and Italy, veterans find themselves disappointed in violent action which will rely on fascism and Nazism. A League of Nations (based in Geneva) was created to prevent new conflicts. War created peace movement carries a great hope embodied in the "spirit of Geneva" and the dream of a Europe built on peace between peoples.

Within the Paris Peace Treaty of Versailles was one of the most important treaties, since this is imposed harsh conditions on Germany. Germany had great territorial losses as Alsace-Lorraine, Highlights, other territories Poles, Belgians and some free cities. The military clauses of the treaty reflected the temporary occupation in the Rhineland, the demilitarization of the Rhineland and the great reduction of the army, navy and air force.

The effect of the First World War on the economy causes many controversies because, as all historical and economic analysis is closely tied to political ideology. In any case, almost everyone agrees that this caused great convulsions that mark the end of an era (undisputed hegemony of Europe), and the beginning of a transition to a new world order that would be consolidated with the Second World War. Many authors see in the Great Depression a direct consequence of the magnitude of the changes that occurred.

The defeated countries had to sign treaties extremely disadvantageous for them. Treaty of Versailles was based on fourteen points proposed by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, accompanied by Lloyd George leadership of Britain and Clemenceau of France, without allowing the participation of ...