The Great War marked a turning point in European history, unleashing a wave of nationalism and political upheaval that would shape the continent for decades to come. One hundred years on, it is worth examining the enduring legacy it has left on Britain and Europe.
Travelling to locations across Europe, from Slovenia to the Sudetenland, Belfast to Berlin, it becomes clear that the war unleashed forces we still grapple with today. The rise of nationalist movements across Europe, the dissolution of empires and the emergence of new nation-states, and the shifting balance of power between Europe’s great powers – all can be traced back to the war and its aftermath.
The legacy of nationalism since World War One is complex and far-reaching. It is a legacy that can be felt in the rise of nationalist movements across Europe, the dissolution of empires and the emergence of new nation-states, and the shifting balance of power between Europe’s great powers. But it is also a legacy that can be seen in the lives of the soldiers who survived the war and went on to shape the peace that followed it. Their experiences and their ideologies continue to shape our world today, as we grapple with the ongoing struggle for national identity and self-determination.
Perhaps the most enduring legacy of the war was the way it haunted the generation who lived through it, in particular the soldiers who survived it. Many of them became dynamic characters who shaped the peace that followed war, often in unpredictable ways.
Benito Mussolini, the future fascist dictator of Italy, fought in the war as a young man, and it left a deep impression on him. He became convinced that war was the ultimate expression of national greatness and that Italy needed a strong, authoritarian leader to realize its potential. This experience laid the groundwork for his later political career, which would be marked by his aggressive expansionist policies and his embrace of violence and repression.
Eamon de Valera, who would go on to become the first president of Ireland, fought in the war as a member of the British army. But his experience of British imperialism and the way Irish soldiers were treated differently from their English counterparts radicalized him. He became a staunch nationalist and a fierce opponent of British rule in Ireland, leading the struggle for Irish independence in the years that followed.
Philippe Petain, a French general who earned the nickname “The Lion of Verdun” for his heroism in that famous battle, would later become a symbol of French defeatism and collaboration with Nazi Germany. But his experience of the war left him deeply skeptical of the ability of democracies to wage war effectively, and he would go on to advocate for authoritarian solutions to France’s problems.
James Ramsey MacDonald, who would later become Britain’s first Labour prime minister, opposed the war as a pacifist, but his experience of it left him disillusioned with the liberal internationalism that had led to the conflict. He became a strong advocate for national self-determination and an opponent of imperialist policies.
And then there was Thomas Masaryk, a Czech philosopher and statesman who fought for the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the war. His experience of the war convinced him of the need for an independent Czech state, and he would go on to become the first president of Czechoslovakia, which emerged from the ashes of the war.
These men, and many others like them, were shaped by their experience of the war and the sense of national identity it engendered. Their legacies continue to be felt today, as Europe grapples with the rise of nationalist movements, the erosion of democracy, and the ongoing struggle for national self-determination.
The dissolution of empires and the emergence of new nation-states after World War One also contributed to the rise of nationalism in Europe. The Austro-Hungarian Empire, for example, had been a multiethnic empire that included numerous nationalities and languages. The war shattered the empire, and in its place emerged a patchwork of new nation-states, including Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Hungary. These new states were defined by their national identity and language, and this led to tensions between different ethnic groups.
The Treaty of Versailles, which officially ended the war, also contributed to the rise of nationalism in Europe. The treaty imposed harsh reparations on Germany and Austria-Hungary, which contributed to their economic decline and political instability. This, in turn, paved the way for the rise of nationalist movements in these countries, including the Nazi Party in Germany.
The legacy of World War One is complex and far-reaching. It continues to shape our world today, as we grapple with the ongoing struggle for national identity and self-determination. But it is important to remember that the war was not inevitable. It was the result of a complex web of political, social, and economic factors, and its legacy is a reminder of the dangers of nationalism, imperialism, and war.
