What were some of the consequences of the war?

What were some of the consequences of Germany starting the two disastrous wars.

In the first war it meant the destruction of the old European dynasties, the rise of Bolshevism [which is ironic, because that probably led to Germany's defeat in round two] and 10 million dead Europeans.

In the second war it meant The Palestine mess which is still ongoing, the end of 300 years of European world hegemony which passed on to the two super powers and eventually American world hegemony, as for Germany, being divided for almost half a century, and nuited as a military and political power on the world stage and loosing the old Prussian heartland of East Prussia, Pomerania and Silesia forever, and not forgetting 40 million more dead Europeans, the majority civilians, murdered in the greatest genocide in history.

No doubt there's a myriad of other spin offs from the wars.

 

Looking at the world economy today. Are Japan and Germany not doing rather well? Maybe they should have tried to conquer the world with their buziness skills in the first place?

 

If you really want to, you can trace just about any current political situation today and just about all of modern technology to a source in World War 2.

Later

 

If you want to look at the good side of the consequenses, then look at the help it gave to the U.S. economy and how it forced us to create new technologies. During the war, many factories opened which meant a boost in the economy and an increase of jobs. There was less poverty and the U.S. was living as a superpower for a whie.

With the view of technologies, many things were created out of necessity for use in world war 2. The jeep for example, was produced as a result of the war. The government wanted a light and reliable 4 wheel drive vehicle. Within 60 days, there were plans and concept vehicles being created.

 

Kai, I agree. Japan might not have military power, but it supplied a huge amout of money for the first gulf war. And look at Toyota, they have conquered North America and now Europe is the next.

 

Well, War spurns on the advances of technology. Look at Penicillin, for instance. 'Discovered' during WWII. Think about the millions of lives it has saved.

The Jet Airplane is another such invention (and is now the fastest way to travel around).

Nuclear Power can be added to that list. Mass Production too. Tons of military-oriented inventions.

As far as politically, the war actually helped Europe. With WWI (as an example) England for instance came out the loser. It still had all the old factories and the like, while in France especially, all the old factories had been destroyed so newer, more modern factories, took their place. The same happened all across eruope and russia after WWII...newer technologies replacing the old.

So many things to look at.

 

The Palestine mess is probably the the most dangerous legacy from WW2.

Ever since the Zionist movement was founded by Theodor Herzl in 1897, and they decided on Palestine, [after considering Argentina and an African country, Nigeria, Ghana?] the Jewish people started to immigrate to Palestine, but the influx wasn't great and by the twenties the numbers actually started to fall.

But naturally the Nazi persecutions changed all that and we end up with the ongoing mess we have today, with Palestine the fuse in the powder keg of the Middle East.

 

The idea that Germany alone was guilty for starting both world wars, for one. (The second one I'll grant you; the first one is more debateable.)

The direct result of Germany losing the first war in the way that it did meant that a second war was inevitable; Germany was either going to start a second war to retake its "stolen" territories or lose its militaristic soul. Weimar was a struggle for the soul of Germany. The militaristic side won out but only by allying itself with the anti-Semitic far-right. Once in power there was no doubt they would attempt to retake their lost territories and attempt to bring in their Austrian fellow-Germans and since their lost territory included territory the Poles considered their own there was clearly going to be a war between the two countries down the road. The French and British could not accept a reconstituted German Reich and Hitlers clearly expansionistic program gave them every reason to oppose him. Hitler couldn't stop without retaking Danzig/West Prussia; his own character and the will of the Germans impelled him. War was inevitable.

So the consequence of Germany losing the First World War was starting the Second World War. Whether starting the war inevitably meant the destruction of the country is a matter for debate. The consequences of losing that war was the amputation of the center of German militarism, Prussia. A lost state. Also, the near complete destruction of the militaristic side of the soul of Germany. The introspective, philosophical side of the German character now became all dominant. And with it all respect for Germany as a nation and a culture. Just look at the recent BBC poll on the most/least respected nations in the world. While the BBC polled Germans Germany was not even listed as one of the countries of the world that mattered enough on the international stage to be discussed. Germany is a shadow of its former self. Yes, it is wealthy and relatively prosperous. But now also the people who loathe and fear the Germans the most are ... the Germans themselves. Sadly, I think if anyone tried to invade Germany today the Germans would surrender as quickly as possible so as not to run the risk of committing any further war crimes. So the loss of respect for Germany, from both the world and Germans themselves, is a consequence of the war.

Directly related to this is what I call the "myth of the 2nd World War". This is the myth that the Allies were 100% good fighting the Axis who were 100% evil. I am not saying this myth is wrong, as myths can be true. However it is a myth in that it provides the basis for the worldview that undergirds most of modern life. Why does the US think it can act as the world's policeman? Because it saved the world in the 2nd World War from evil Germany and Japan. (Yes, there were other Allies but I am deliberately portraying this in a simplistic manner because that is how a lot of modern history, especially but not exclusively in the US, portrays it.) This is why we see so many movies where the bad guys are Nazis. Then there is no doubt about who the good guys are. We can forget the fact that we've committed our share of mistakes and atrocities.

Another consequence, as a number of you have pointed out, is the Palestinian problem. Related to that is the truly sacrosanct position of the Holocaust in the modern world. Since this is where the Nazis committed their worst atrocities this subject is simply not up for debate. Now, before anyone jumps all over me, let me state up front that I believe in the Holocaust and that around 6 million Jews were killed by Nazi Germany. I think most revisionist scholars and neo-Nazis who dispute the existence of gas chambers are completely wrong and abominable scholars who are completely hypocritical in glorifying the Nazis and their anti-Semitism while denying the logical outcome of those policies. (I refuse to engage in the juvenile "neo-Nazis are just stupid and evil", etc. That kind of rhetoric, while sadly expected these days, only demonstrates the truly poor intellect of the one making such non-arguments.) However, the Holocaust has been turned into an untouchable subject and is deliberately made to not only completely overshadow the many other instances of genocide during the war and throughout history, it has become an industry unto itself. There are hundreds of Holocaust museums around the world with incredible budgets while just last year there was considerable protest at the mere idea of a museum in Berlin on ethnic cleansing that merely included the German expulsions after WWII. Today Germany cannot even remember its own losses in the war without being criticized and reminded of its Nazi past while it has become all but impossible to criticize any Jewish group or Israel without being accused of being anti-Semitic and a neo-Nazi. The result is the world we know today.

 

Germany's reputation as a country is forever scarred no doubt.