19001944

1900–1944 refers to the period spanning the early 20th century through the mid-1940s. It was a time of rapid industrialization, urbanization, and scientific advancement, accompanied by political upheaval as empires collapsed and new nation-states emerged. The era saw the growth of mass politics, expanding education, and profound social and cultural change across the world, alongside persistent inequality and regional conflicts.

Global conflict dominated much of the first half of the period. World War I (1914–1918) restructured borders and power relations, contributing to revolutions and the disintegration of several empires. The interwar years brought economic volatility, political experimentation, and the rise of extremist movements in various countries. The Great Depression of the 1930s deepened hardship and helped reshape economies, politics, and social relations, setting the stage for renewed conflict.

World War II began in 1939 and continued into the mid-1940s, featuring vast campaigns across Europe, Africa, and Asia. Key events of this epoch include the aggressions of totalitarian regimes, the invasion of Poland, the Battle of Britain, the Soviet advance on the Eastern Front, and Allied offensives in 1944 such as the Normandy landings. By 1944 the war was shifting decisively in favor of the Allies, paving the way for postwar reconstruction and the creation of new international institutions.

In science, technology, and culture, the period saw rapid advances in physics, chemistry, medicine, aviation, radio, and cinema, transforming everyday life and global communication. The era ends with the onset of a new international order and the beginnings of decolonization and global realignment.