2.1 Early Twentieth Century: Key Events and Transformations

Introduction to the Early Twentieth Century

  • Professor Levy introduces the topic, recovering from bronchitis.

  • Importance of historical context for understanding the early twentieth century.

Historical Significance of World War One (WWI)

  • WWI (1914-1918) is often seen as the beginning of the twentieth century by many historians.

  • Events don’t change by the calendar.

  • WWI significantly altered empires:

    • Disappearance of:

    • Austro-Hungarian Empire

    • Ottoman Empire

    • Russian Empire

    • German Empire

Mexican Revolution (1910-1920)

  • The Mexican Revolution began in 1910 and set the stage for change before WWI.

  • Revolutions typically have roots in prior events; Mexican Revolution has origins 30-50 years earlier.

  • Porfirio Diaz's 30-year presidency (1876-1911):

    • Initial relief after a period of political instability post-independence.

    • Political stability led to infrastructure improvements but curtailed democracy.

    • The concentration of power resulted in dissatisfaction among elites and peasants.

Factors Leading to the Revolution

  • Political Stability vs. Democracy:

    • Stability can prompt investment in infrastructure and education but stifles political representation.

  • Elite Dissatisfaction:

    • Lawyers, bankers, and industrialists felt deprived of democratic governance.

  • Peasant Discontent:

    • Majority of Mexicans were agricultural laborers working on lands they did not own.

    • The elite's frustration over unyielding Diaz and lack of reforms intensified.

Francisco Madero's Role

  • Madero, a wealthy elite, is jailed by Diaz for his reformist ideas.

  • Calls for an armed revolution to restore democracy and land reforms from jail.

  • His revolutionary call resonated across Mexico, appealing to different social groups.

Key Figures in the Revolution

  • Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata:

    • Leaders who unified constituencies against Diaz.

    • Overthrew Diaz by 1911.

Aftermath of Diaz's Overthrow

  • Post-Diaz, Mexico descended into civil wars as factions vied for power.

  • A new constitution emerged after six years of conflict:

    • Presidents prohibited from re-election.

    • Land redistribution to peasants.

    • Church divested from national politics.

    • Restrictions on foreign ownership of Mexican land.

  • U.S. involvement in oilfields elevated attention during the Mexican Revolution (over WWI).

U.S. Involvement in WWI

  • Timing of U.S. Entry:

    • Directly related to the state of the Mexican Revolution.

  • Wilson's administration supported factions during the Mexican Revolution.

  • Pancho Villa's raid in New Mexico escalated tensions between U.S. and Mexico, prompting military action.

  • Wilson only entered WWI in April 1917 after the Zimmerman Telegram incident.

Zimmerman Telegram

  • Germany's proposal to Mexico regarding alliance against the U.S. was intercepted by British intelligence.

  • The revelation of the telegram led to U.S. war declaration against Germany.

The Great War

  • Definition of "Great" War:

    • Global involvement; few regions remained neutral (exception: Spain).

    • Initial cause: assassination of Austro-Hungarian Archduke Ferdinand, leading to a series of declarations of war.

  • Rapid escalation of conflict:

    • Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, leading to a swift domino effect involving Russia, Germany, France, and the UK.

    • In six days, multiple nations were engaged in war.

Global Involvement

  • The involvement of British colonies (Australia, Canada, South Africa) heightened the global nature of the conflict.

  • The Ottoman Empire joined Germany’s side, expanding the war across the Middle East.

  • British objectives included dismantling the Ottoman Empire for strategic gains.

Jewish Population and the Balfour Declaration

  • Significant persecution of Jews historically pushed migration to the U.S. and elsewhere.

  • British foreign policy in 1917 promised a Jewish national home in Palestine in exchange for U.S. support in WWI.

  • Balfour Declaration led to complexities regarding Jewish homeland and later implications for Israel.

Impacts of World War One

  • Death Toll:

    • Approximately 10 million dead due to war and subsequent epidemic impacts.

  • New Weaponry and Tactics:

    • Innovative technologies such as tanks and planes changed warfare nature.

    • Civilians became directly affected, unlike traditional warfare in prior centuries.

  • Ideological Dimension:

    • Unlike earlier territorial wars, WWI was imbued with a sense of idealism regarding justice and democracy.

Conclusion of the War

  • Russian Revolution correlated with the ending of WWI, as instability increased in Russia.

  • Czar Nicholas’s abdication led to severe territorial changes and reflections on governance.

  • Political reconfigurations in newly independent regions such as Finland, Poland, and Baltic states.

Notable Innovations

  • Henry Ford's Assembly Line (1912):

    • Revolutionized car manufacturing and made automobiles affordable, leading to mass consumption cultural shifts.

  • Spanish Flu Pandemic (1918-1920):

    • Caused deaths of approximately 50-100 million people globally, outpacing WWI casualties.

    • Censorship during wartime limited discussion of the pandemic, affecting public perception and subsequent recovery efforts.

Summary of Historical Shift

  • The period from 1910 to 1920 encapsulates significant transformations in political, social, and technological realms:

    • Mexican Revolution

    • World War I

    • Russian Revolution

    • Advancements in manufacturing and public health crises.

  • The outcome set the stage for the Roaring Twenties, highlighting historical continuity and change.