Colonialism, World War I, and 20th Century Art Movements

Posted on Jan 4, 2025 in History

Consequences of Colonial Imperialism

Important transformations were:

  1. Economical: Natural resources were exploited, and colonies were forced to specialize in a single crop and buy manufactured products from the metropolis.
  2. Demographic and social: The population in the colonies increased due to immigration and a decrease in mortality thanks to improved hygiene and sanitation. However, racial segregation produced a supposed white predominance.
  3. Political: Colonizing countries used rivalries within the colonies to settle their disputes.
  4. Cultural: Indigenous culture was modified by Western culture, changing beliefs, customs, and traditions of the colonized peoples.

Reasons for the First World War

  1. Territorial claims: Between different countries, such as Austria-Hungary and Russia (disputes in the Balkans), and Germany and France (disputes over Alsace and Lorraine).
  2. Economic rivalries: Between Germany (which had experienced great industrial growth) and the United Kingdom (which lost its competitive advantage).
  3. Colonial interests: Provoked conflicts in various locations. In this era, Germany sought to acquire colonial territories (Moroccan crisis).
  4. Formation of two blocs: The Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) and the Triple Entente (France, United Kingdom, and Russia). This led to an arms race where each country increased its military forces to prepare for a possible war.

Characteristics of World War I

The First World War was different from previous conflicts due to its characteristics:

  1. Use of new weapons and defensive systems: Technical advances allowed for new connections between distant areas and the massive displacement of troops.
  2. Massive incorporation of women into the workforce: Women took on jobs that were previously held by men who went to combat.
  3. Economy focused on war: The production of war materials was prioritized. Scarcity and rationing affected the civilian population, and there was increased state intervention in the economy.
  4. Propaganda: Played an important role in maintaining the morale of the population and troops.

Consequences of the War

  1. Great loss of life: Primarily young people.
  2. Social transformations: Such as the incorporation of women into the workforce. A new figure emerged: the former combatant.
  3. Territorial modifications: Including the emergence of new states like Finland and Yugoslavia, and the return of territories like Alsace and Lorraine to France. Germany lost all its colonies.
  4. Economic disaster for Europe: Several countries, especially in Europe, were indebted to the USA. Europe lost its economic hegemony, and the U.S. became the leading world power.

The War

In July 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, blaming them for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo.

Phases of the Conflict:

  1. War of Movement (1914): Germany carried out the Schlieffen Plan with rapid progress in western and northern France, then turned to the east to face the Russian army.
  2. War of Positions (1915-1916): New weapons prevented progress, and fronts and trenches became generalized.
  3. Decisive Events (1917): The Russian Revolution led to Russia’s withdrawal from the war, and the U.S. entered the conflict on the Allied side.
  4. The End of the War (1918): The Allies launched a victorious offensive, reinforced by U.S. troops and weaponry. The Germans signed the armistice on November 11, 1918.



Fall of Imperial Russia: October Revolution of 1917

Under the autocratic rule of the Tsars, only a few reforms were carried out. During this era, Russia suffered a serious national crisis due to military defeats against Japan and economic consequences in 1905. The defeats provoked protests that were suppressed, although they forced the imperial system to implement reforms. Tsar Nicholas II authorized the formation of the Duma, but later tried to govern without it. In February 1917, a revolution overthrew Tsar Nicholas II, restored the Duma, and established a provisional government formed by socialists and liberals, led by Alexander F. Kerensky. The Bolsheviks, led by Lenin and Trotsky, seized power in October. Organized in Soviets, they established a new government called the Council of People’s Commissars. The Bolshevik Party adopted the name Communist and founded the Third International.

Causes of Colonial Imperialism:

The development of the second phase of the Industrial Revolution led industrialized countries to invest their surplus capital in other places. This situation led to the creation of colonies in Africa and parts of Asia and Oceania, with the objective of economic exploitation. Other factors that led to colonial expansion were:

  1. Demographic: The huge population growth in Europe and the generalization of the use of machinery encouraged emigration to the colonies.
  2. Political: Strained international relations led governments to control strategic points to increase their prestige and strength.
  3. Scientific: The desire to explore new territories and societies gave rise to interest in unknown places.
  4. Cultural: The belief in white racial superiority led to the idea that it was a duty to transmit European civilization, culture, and Christian religion to other countries. Colonial expansion was also favored by progress in transportation and new means of communication, such as the Suez Canal.

Culture:

Between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, two literary movements stood out:

  1. Realism: Described contemporary reality in a detailed and accurate way.
  2. Modernism: Sought to escape reality by looking towards the Middle Ages or the East.

Art:

  1. Iron Architecture: Characterized by the use of new, resistant, and low-cost materials. The Eiffel Tower is a notable example.
  2. Modernism: Received various names: Art Nouveau (France and Belgium), and Jugendstil (Germany). Notable figures include Victor Horta and Hector Guimard.

Sculpture:

  1. Realistic Sculpture: Represented members of the proletariat.
  2. Impressionist Sculpture: Highlighted by Rodin, who used the incidence of light to create games of light and shadow that blurred the contours of figures.

Painting:

There were different pictorial movements:

  1. Realism: In the mid-19th century, it sought to represent contemporary reality objectively and sometimes crudely.
  2. Impressionism: Emerged in France in the late 19th century. It sought to capture the fleeting impression of scenes and time.
  3. Post-Impressionism: Pointillism was characterized by the use of juxtaposed dots of pure color.
  4. Fauvism: A pictorial movement that emerged at the beginning of the 20th century, with Matisse as its main representative.
  5. Expressionism: A pictorial movement that emerged at the beginning of the 20th century and showed emotions, pessimism, and human tension in its works.
  6. Cubism: A pictorial trend that emerged at the beginning of the 20th century, which decomposed forms into geometric planes that were represented simultaneously.
  7. Futurism: A pictorial trend that emerged at the beginning of the 20th century, extolling action, violence, speed, and movement.