World War I is often referred to as a turning point in world history. Its consequences were to significantly impact the course of history in this century. This unit will examine:The conditions which made that war a possibility and an actuality; How that war represented a departure from previous wars, in particular, how it impacted the rights of individual, the role of government, and the “undermining” of the political status quo;How Russia (example of a major nation), its leadership and institutions, reacted to the war and the consequences of war for the people of that nation; The conditions which resulted in the Russian Revolution and the consequences of that event; and,The desire of nations to secure their national self-interests and the sovereignty and how that desire inhibited the major powers in securing a lasting peace. The perception of the world as a hostile and competitive environment, which influenced national decision makers at the beginning of the 20th century, was a product of the ideas and social/economic structural changes taking place in the industrialized nations. Economic forces, including the need for markets and raw resources to sustain the industrial economies of Europe and North America were to drive foreign policies and actions.Economic forces combined with nationalism to create situations where the agendas of major nations collided. In the face of such “new forces” and realities, nations turned to the “old” remedies of alliances and the maintenance of large standing military forces to secure their well-being. These alliances and forces were to create a “real” possibility of a regional conflict expanding into a world-wide conflict. That possibility was actualized in 1914. The confluence of new ideas, new technologies, the rise of ethnic nationalism, and the First World War, all challenged the traditional political status quo of each nation. Nations such as Czarist Russia were not prepared for the magnitude and totality of the war. Inflexible responses in meeting the demands of both industrialization and the war, made those nations ripe for profound changes. The old order, the dynasties, and traditions were to be destroyed by the war. The political vacuum which resulted was filled by a number of alternative political models. Some nations implemented democratic models of government with varying degrees of success. Totalitarian models of government appeared in other nations. Russia was to see a downfall of the Romanov dynasty and revolution. That revolution and the application of a new ideology had a profound influence on global politics for the remainder of the 20th century.