The twentieth century saw great change. The rise of machine warfare, the dominance of the United States, and the beginning of the Cold War were just a few events that defined the century, but change was not inevitable. The century began with the horrors of World War I, where millions of soldiers died and millions more were wounded. The political landscape underwent drastic transformations. The Bolshevik Revolution, which overthrew the Russian Tsar, triggered a civil war in Russia, which eventually led to the establishment of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or USSR. Likewise, the Ottoman Empire was overthrown, and in its place, Turkey was created. The U.

S. Civil War, which largely pitted Confederate and Union forces against each other, lead to the formation of a new nation, the United States. These transformations demonstrated that change is not inevitable and it is often up to individuals and events to instigate great change.

The first great change of the 1910s was the Bolshevik Revolution. The Bolsheviks were already an underground movement that sought to overthrow the Tsar. When World War I broke out, the Bolsheviks joined forces with the Central Powers of Germany, Austria, and Turkey. While the Germans and Austrians captured territory, the Russians suffered terrible losses on the Eastern Front. The Bolsheviks seized the opportunity to overthrow the Tsar, but the revolution was bloody. The Tsar and his family were brutally murdered. The Bolsheviks issued a manifesto that called for nationalization of the land, and for the wealth of the Tsar to be distributed among the soldiers. The Tsar’s family, the nobility, and other aristocrats were driven into exile. The Bolsheviks established a government headed by Vladimir Lenin. While Lenin was popular among the peasants, his radical policies alienated him from the general population. This allowed the Tsarist forces to recruit soldiers to overthrow the Bolsheviks. The civil war took millions of lives and devastated the country. Soviet Russia was never the same after the Great War.

The second great change of the 1910s was the rise of the United States. While the U.

S. spent most of the nineteenth century dominated by the British Empire, the country gained new strength and independence as a result of the Civil War. The Confederacy was defeated and slavery was abolished. The defeated Confederate States sought to join with the former Union states to form the United States of America. The United States of America was a new nation with the promise of freedom and equality. The nation was greatly influenced by the writings of Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. During the 1910s, the country experienced rapid advancements in transportation and communication. Henry Ford introduced the first affordable automobile. By the 1920s, roads were paved. The telephone, radio, and telegraph made long distance communication possible. The airplane allowed for faster travel across the country, and America emerged as the dominant economic and political power in the world.

The twentieth century also began a period of great change. The Great Depression, which hit the United States in 1929, had a profound impact on the politics and economies of many countries. Many countries defaulted on their loans. The depression hit the United States especially hard, resulting in widespread unemployment and poverty. In response, the U.

S. began the America First movement. Under the leadership of President Herbert Hoover, the U.

S. adopted a protectionist policy that aimed to keep American products within the country. This policy was unpopular with other countries, resulting in trade wars. The U.

S. was also involved in two world wars, and fought the Japanese in the Pacific and the Germans in Europe. These conflicts led to the deaths of millions of soldiers and civilians. The devastation caused by World War II resulted in major changes in world politics. The Soviet Union and its successor, the Soviet Union, invaded many countries on Europe’s eastern front. The Nazi regime, led by Adolf Hitler, collaborated with the Japanese in attacking the Soviet Union. The devastation resulting from World War II and the Great Depression led to the creation of the United Nations, which established the principle of collective security.

The twentieth century saw great change. The horrors of World War I eventually led to the disintegration of the Russian Empire and the birth of the Soviet Union. The Civil War led to the creation of the United States of America. The United States and the United Kingdom engaged in two world wars that devastated Europe. The Great Depression and World War II had far-reaching effects, not only on the United States and European countries, but all around the world.