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1、TheFirstWorldWarP1TheFirstWorldWarwasasocialandpoliticalcataclysm.Ninemillionsoldiersdiedandmillionsmoresufferedmentalandphysicalinjuries.Thewarcostbillionsofdollars,notonlyinmilitaryexpensesbutalsoindamagetoproperty.ThewaroriginatedinasmallconflictinEasternEuropethatsnowballedintoamu
2、chlargerconflict.Thishappenedbecauseofdisagreementsbetweentwogroupsofalliedcountriesthatwerecommittedtorigidmilitaryplans.Attheoutsettheytookstepsthatweretooaggressive,sincenoneoftheparticipantspredictedthewar’sawfulness.P5Bycomparison,theperiodfrom1815to1914doesseemrelativelytranquil
3、.Therelativeabsenceofwarfarebetweennationsallowedforamajorburstinindustrializationandtechnologicaldevelopment,whichresultedindisruptions,tobesure,evenastheoverallstandardoflivingroseinmostplaces.P5Yetthiseracannothonestlybedescribedasaneraofcompletetranquility.Inthemiddleofthecentury,
4、majorconflictswereassociatedwiththeunificationoftheGermanandItaliannations.Inresponsetotheforcesofnationalism,theAustro-HungarianEmpireandtheOttomanEmpirefoughttostaveoffdisintegration.Meanwhile,BritainandFrance—andtoalesserdegreeGermany,Italy,Japan,Portugal,andtheUnitedStates—expande
5、dtheirempiresoverseas.Forthemostpart,theircolonieswereobtainedbysheddingthebloodofthenativeinhabitantsand,toalesserextent,thebloodoftheirownsoldiers.P5Thebuildingofnations,empires,andindustrieswasthemainfeatureofEuropean,Japanese,andU.S.historyintheperiodfrom1850to1914.Thetimesseemedp
6、eacefulfromtheperspectiveoftheindustrializingcountries,butmuchoftherestoftheworldfounditselfdominatedbyforce.ItwashardP6toresisttheindustrialcountries,whichenjoyedatemporaryadvantageinweapons,communications,andmedicine.TheyharnessedtheeconomiesoftheircoloniesinAfrica,Asia,andthePacifi
7、ctoservetheirneeds,whilealsoreapingprofitsfrominvestmentsinpartsoftheworldthatwerenotformallycolonized,suchasChinaandLatinAmerica.Technologicallydrivendominancefosteredasenseofwell-beingandsuperiorityintheindustrializingcountries,evenastheirdominancebroughtnewhopesandmiseriestomuchoft
8、heres
