11 November marks the 94th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I. This war was, of course, the one in which the beautiful Lusitania and many of her passengers and crew were lost. The war had a significant impact on the rest of the 20th Century, including but not limited to:
- Dismembering Austria-Hungary, leaving a power vacuum to be filled by a resurgent Germany under the Third Reich.
- Harsh reparations against Germany, leading to international humiliation and economic catastrophe which allowed the Nazi regime to take power.
- The popularization of self-determination: first in Eastern European territories formerly held by the German, Austrian, Russian, and Ottoman Empires. In subsequent decades this idea spread to territories in the British and French Empires, leading to the fall of those empires as well.
- The collapse of the Ottoman Empire, leading to European and American involvement in the Middle East which continues to this day.
- Causing the Russian Revolution that established a Communist government, an ideology exported to countries around the world (and some such as China, North Korea, and Cuba still continue to use). This set the stage for the Cold War, which divided Europe, led to devastating wars in Asia, led to bloody coups and revolutions in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, and the perpetuation of reigns of terror around the world.
- The continued development of arms technology and arms races, some of which have actually led to beneficial scientific and economic development.
The list goes on. Indeed, for good or bad, the First World War was a major turning point in modern history. Had the outcome been different, the world as we know it today may be unrecognizable.
Hopefully we learn from the, more complicated than initially comprehended, circumstances that make events become historic and change the course of the human world. If we don’t learn from the mistakes we will be sure to repeat them. I don’t know how many people have been intentionally targeted for destruction or the many collateral deaths, but please WORLD count to ten before pulling the trigger or pushing the button. I’m sure most are slow to boil, but I also fault the aggressors for taking advantage of what they might see as weakness. Doesn’t always work, but give it an extra try and remain calm even when confronted. Neil Diamond once wrote a song “Pride is the chief cause in the decline of the number of husbands and wives.” National pride can sometimes be as blinding to others circumstances. I’m not against standing up for oneself, community or country, but it is now a global village that we all need to work hard to keep the peace where possible and to take stronger measures only when necessary or last resort. We must also find positivity from the negatives of the world and circumstance. I truly can not understand how hatred is such a driving force in the modern world. Someone or a peoples central creed of purpose has failed if hate will rule the future.