POLS10200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Offensive Realism, Meat Grinder, Trench Warfare
Document Summary
Involvement from 2 more continents (u. s. and australia) 9 million soldier deaths, 10 million civilian deaths. Loss of entire generation of young men in europe. Economy: destroyed centuries of wealth accumulated in europe. Versailles treaty gave rise to fascism. Europe was multipolar prior to the war (5-6 great powers) Wealthiest state in the world, largest empire, and largest navy. Offshore balancer: can wait to take sides and balance the powers until the. Declining in power, struggling to maintain empire. In response, formed a formal alliance with russia. Also formed an informal alliance with great britain. But still lacking compared to other european nations. Multinational empire coming apart at the seams. Ethnic groups wanted more autonomy nationalist uprisings. Growing middle class (due to population explosion) want more representation. Wanted an empire like great britain and france. Unique position in the event of war in europe. Because of france and russia"s formal alliance, going to war with either state two front war.
