Global Effects of World War I.

Global Effects of World War I

"Everywhere in the world was heard the sound of things

breaking." Advanced European societies could not support long wars or

so many thought prior to World War I. They were right in a way. The

societies could not support a long war unchanged. The First World War

left no aspect of European civilization untouched as pre-war

governments were transformed to fight total war. The war metamorphed

Europe socially, politicaly, economically, and intellectualy.

European countries channeled all of their resources into total

war which resulted in enormous social change. The result of working

together for a common goal seemed to be unifying European societies.

Death knocked down all barriers between people. All belligerents had

enacted some form of a selective service which levelled classes in

many ways. Wartime scarcities made luxury an impossibility and

unfavorable. Reflecting this, clothing became uniform and

utilitarian. Europeans would never again dress in fancy, elaborate

costumes. Uniforms led the way in clothing change. The bright

blue-and-red prewar French infantry uniforms had been changed after

the first few months of the war, since they made whoever wore them

into excellent targets for machine guns. Women's skirts rose above

the ankle permanently and women became more of a part of society

than ever. They undertook a variety of jobs previously held by men.

They were now a part of clerical, secretarial work, and teaching.

They were also more widely employed in industrial jobs. By 1918, 37.6

percent of the work force in the Krupp armaments firm in Germany was

female. In England the proportion of women works rose strikingly in

public transport (for example, from 18,000 to 117,000 bus conductors),

banking (9,500 to 63,700), and commerce (505,000 to 934,000). Many

restrictions on women disappeared during the war. It became

acceptable for young,