World War I and its Aftermath

The United Nations has the ability to assemble peacekeepers from different member countries, a feature absent in the League of Nations.

Germany's punishment led to instability in both Germany and the rest of Europe.
Economic instability arose as France took control of German coal resources.
This period saw the rise of extreme politics, mirroring current global trends.
Rise of Fascist states in Italy, Germany, and Spain.
Emergence of Communist regimes in Russia and eventually China.
The United States retreated into isolationism, declining to join the League of Nations due to perceived European instability, halting training and negotiations with European nations.

Defined by trench warfare primarily located in France, a key term for the final exam.
The French aimed to keep the war off their territory, but Germany quickly engaged, leading to a stalemate on the French border.
Trenches were dug with train tracks behind them for rapid retreat and reinforcement.
If a trench was captured, soldiers would retreat to the next trench via train tracks.
This pattern continued throughout the war, resulting in minimal territorial gains and high casualties.

Trenches were fortified with barbed wire and train tracks for supplying troops and fallback positions.
Captured trenches were destroyed to prevent enemy use, and new barbed wire was set up.
Barbed wire entangled soldiers, making them vulnerable to gunfire.
Machine guns were used to mow down anyone attempting to cross into no man's land.
Airplanes and mortars added to the dangers, making trenches seem like the safest option.

Tanks were developed to overcome barbed wire obstacles, but their effectiveness was limited by muddy conditions.
U-boats (submarines) were used by Germans to attack allied ships, making the seas unsafe.
Fighter planes and zeppelins were utilized for reconnaissance, providing valuable troop movement information.

Flamethrowers: filled with high-pressurized kerosene, shooting flames from 50 to 70 feet, capable of burning anything.
Chlorine Gas: caused internal burning and melting of the lungs, leading to suffocation; gas masks were used as protection.

Soldiers faced machine guns and flamethrowers when attempting to cross no man's land.
Dead bodies on barbed wire bloated and burst in the heat, causing unimaginable stench and disease.
Endemic diseases spread due to unsanitary conditions, contributing to the flu pandemic post-war.

Prolonged exposure to water-filled trenches led to trench foot, causing feet to rot.
Infections and gangrene resulted in amputations.

Canada participated in World War I as part of the British colonies.
All countries, including Germany, England, and Austria-Hungary, committed war crimes; Germany was not yet Nazi Germany.
The war was about imperialism and the desire for imperial power, not fascism.