What If We Lost World War I?

***

We want your opinion! Please submit this form. 

Just click the link below and answer the questions listed.

Click here to view the form!

  *** 

Background Information

World War I was a global conflict that started after the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. The Allied Powers (Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Japan, and the United States) fought against the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and the Bulgarians). The war spanned from 1914 to 1918, with over forty million deaths worldwide. 

Great Britain officially declared war against Germany after several invasions of Belgium and France. Britain recruited major European powers, such as France and Russia, forming the Triple Entente. From then on, military power and political power played a major role in the war. But to attain these, you needed one more thing. Money.

A major part in the downfall of the Central Powers was that they were not nearly as rich as the Allied Powers. The Central Powers spent a meager $61 billion in the war, while their opponents spent nearly $147 billion! The Central Powers also suffered from a lack of materials. In particular, steel and coal were the most limited resources, largely due to the Allied Naval Blockade. The Allied powers created a blockade around Germany, which further depleted its economy and resources.   Without these materials, they struggled to keep up with the demand for weapons of war. 

Soon enough, some of their allies began to collapse, resulting in even fewer resources. The United States’ involvement in the war meant demise for the Central Powers, since America had fresh, new resources and soldiers.

These many events led to the Central Powers’ crushing defeat and the triumphant victory of the Allied Powers. 

The Societal Effect

As a siren blares, hurried footsteps follow, accompanied by the high-pitched squeals of children wondering what’s wrong. Kids sheltering in a basement, waiting quietly, hoping their livelihood isn’t destroyed. No longer the top military power, fear would be imminent. We wouldn’t live knowing that we are strong enough to take on any enemy; we would live knowing we are weak enough to lose. 

If the Allied Powers, Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Japan, and the United States, had lost to the Central Powers, consisting of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria, life as we know it would be entirely different. The Ottoman Empire would still be around. The Empire, now Turkey, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Algeria, would have never fallen apart. Other historical conflicts that we know today would have entirely different outcomes due to the Ottoman Empire’s large size and military. History would be completely rewritten, but this is only the start of the new world we would live in. 

Most Americans don’t realize we have a special feeling of safety as a whole country. We are rarely in fear of other countries attacking us or trying to wage war. Our power has always been a way to keep fear at bay. However, if we had lost World War I, that power would be completely erased. Constant fear of being attacked would be our new reality. Terrorist attacks like 9/11 wouldn’t be a once-in-a-lifetime tragedy, but instead a yearly fear. Germany would now take our top spot as the most powerful military. Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria would not be far behind. But our problems are only just beginning.

Many are aware that when the Central Powers lost, they all incurred severe economic debt. However, in our new scenario, it would no longer be Germany that would take the fall. It would likely be America and Britain, the ones that spent the most money, that would take most of the debt. “I think we (America) would’ve been the ones responsible for paying back the damages.” Says Mr. Hendrix, a civics teacher at JMS. As we start drowning in our debt, America would bring the other allied powers down with it. Each country trying to pay back its debt with the little money they have would cause times like the Great Depression to enter history much sooner. This time, however, we might not get out of it. 

It is known that World War II was an unfortunate byproduct of World War I. Germany used its anger about the loss of World War I to go against the innocent Jewish community. However, if Germany had never lost, the hate that sparked would’ve never caught a flame. World War II would have never occurred. Mr Hendrix gave us his input on this idea, stating, “I’m not sure that it would’ve led to World War II. Would there be other conflicts? Yes, probably….” Though the other conflicts that would arise wouldn’t necessarily include us, especially with the amount of debt we would be in. The military is known to provide jobs, especially in times of a depression, but with a weak army, we wouldn’t take that risk. Leaving us to be a crippling country in debt, while those who previously struggled flourish. 

Our world would be completely upside down from how we know it now. Such a significant turning point in history can have that effect on our world. The question is, which reality actually provides our world with the best outcome? 

Environmental

The world is burning as smoke rises into the sky, war is happening, and not only will people die, but so will the Earth. If we had lost World War I, World War II would most likely not have occurred, and during that time, the Earth suffered. There was severe damage to its ozone layer, and forests throughout France and Russia were destroyed. Specifically, 494,000 acres of forest in France were destroyed. 

While there would be no World War II, there would certainly be other wars. The primary materials used during war are copper, coal, and steel, as they are utilized for weapons and transportation. Getting these materials causes some problems, including habitat destruction, water contamination, air pollution, and the release of greenhouse gases. We go into war knowing bad things come out of it, but we are not the only ones who suffer because of it.

After World War I, the border lines of many countries changed. Many empires split after World War I. If we lost the war, these empires most likely would have remained intact.. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was separated into Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Yugoslavia in 1918. Another empire that collapsed because of the strain of World War I was the Russian Empire. The Russian Empire split into Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Finland, and other countries in 1917.

Our society structure, our environment, and our whole world as we know it would be totally different from what it is now. Our idea of peace would be shattered, our sense of security would be an illusion. We are all so grateful to our world as we know it! But still, if we do not heed the warnings of our past, history will be doomed to repeat itself.