Paper on Social, Political, Economical, Etc. Effects of Www

"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 te!


aching.   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
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