The Biggest Tragedy of World War One

“In your opinion, what was the biggest tragedy of World War One?”

Ah, “opinion,” not “fact.”

Recently, I have found myself reading more about the events of 100 years ago than I thought I ever would. One of the recurring themes I have stumbled across is that the First World War proved to be a wonderful petri dish for several persistent strands of evil we are currently faced with: the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire, the debacle that the Treaty of Versailles became, the shock of the rapid and vicious evolution of warfare… All of that are what we can call “tragedies” of immense proportion. However, the rise of communism in the wake of the “Great War” stands as one of the biggest tragedies of that one conflict.

The division of the Middle East into its present form divided regions with little regard or consideration of the local power dynamics. While conflict in the area has been ongoing ever since it was first settled by humans, we are currently faced with ongoing – yet relatively localized – friction between the various religious groups of the region. Admittedly, it may seem that I am downplaying the geopolitical fallout of interference and influence efforts in the Middle East;this is definitely not the case. As I have stated: conflict in the area seems to be as inevitable as it has been perpetual.

Similarly, the Treaty of Versailles – and the relative lack of enforcement during the interwar years – still doesn’t qualify as one the biggest tragedy of the First World War. This was a failure of the League of Nations and other countries who chose to ignore the blatant but gradual rearming of Germany. Without the Treaty of Versailles, there probably wouldn’t be a Second World War; however, I find this a bit problematic simply because there is no way of knowing how Germany – or any other nation involved in the First World War – would have behaved under any other agreement following the end of the conflict.

The societal and political turmoil generated in Europe during and immediately after the First World War established the conditions for what I consider the true tragedy of the war: the growing influence of Bolshevik movement.

Prior to the Russian Revolutions of 1917, the political leadership of Russia was faltering. The 1905 Revolution proved to be a harbinger of what was to come – not only in Russia,but around the world. The growing industrialization of Europe and the United States (primarily) created a growing rift between the leadership and the people they led. Though it ultimately failed, the 1905 Revolution proved to be a blueprint for the later and successful political upheaval 12 years later. By providing a “voice”to those who were unattended to by the Tsar, the Bolsheviks established a form of representation for the masses. The Russian Civil War spanned 5 years – 1918 through 1923 – yet it served to solidify and legitimize the power of the Communists as well as inspire similar attempts in Europe and America during that time.

The Kiel Mutiny of 1918 and subsequent German Revolution of 1918-1919, while not exactly the same as the events which unfolded in Russia at the same time, brought socialist ideas to a nation suffering from the effects of the First World War. With the rise of various Councils and growing demonstrations and revolts, the German political leadership failed to maintain power, leading to the eventual dissolution of the German monarchy and the creation of the ineffective Weimar Republic. Stymied by a seemingly incessant series of changes to leadership, hyperinflation, political infighting, and direct challenges to the official leadership, the Weimar Republic declined while the National Socialist Worker’s Party gained power and influence.

In the United States, the influence of the Bolsheviks manifested itself in various strikes, protests, violence, and riots which inflamed the pre-existing racial tensions in many American cities. Starting in 1917 and lasting until 1921, what is now known as the “First Red Scare” proved to be a largely forgotten period of time in American history where mass hysteria, propaganda, and rumors became part of a cycle familiar to modern eyes. Anarchist bombings in 1919 sound hauntingly familiar nearly a century later: bombs mailed to politicians, officials, and businessmen were intended to influence policy and public opinion through fear and terror.

Going back to my original point about the “biggest tragedy of World War One,” I firmly maintain that the rise of communism ended up being the direst repercussion of the war. In looking back at what I have written so far, I only covered the events in Europe up to the eve of the Second World War, and even then it was only a superficial summary. The increased influence of communism following the Second World War, its spread throughout Asia and elsewhere, the total control of the people within the system, and the elimination of any who voiced their dissent… in my opinion, the rise of communism from the ashes of the “Great War” stands as one of the worst things to come from that conflict.