19101940

19101940 refers to the historical span from 1910 to 1940, a formative period in the 20th century that spans the end of empires and the emergence of modern nation-states. It includes the First World War, the interwar era, and the early phase of the Second World War, events that reshaped borders, economies, and cultures around the world.

During the 1910s, rising nationalism, imperial competition and advances in military technology culminated in World War I (1914–1918). The war ended with the defeat of the Central Powers and led to the dissolution of several empires, redrawing borders and producing peace settlements that influenced global politics for decades.

Between the 1920s and 1940, the international system underwent reconstruction and volatility. The era saw economic growth and cultural innovation in some regions, but the Great Depression beginning in 1929 produced widespread unemployment and hardship. The 1930s also witnessed the rise of authoritarian movements in various countries, including fascist regimes in Italy and Germany and militarist expansion in Japan.

By the late 1930s, tensions escalated toward another large-scale conflict. The Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) acted as a prelude to broader war, while rearmament and expansionism challenged the postwar order. World War II began in 1939 with the invasion of Poland, leading to a global conflict that defined the subsequent decades.

The 1910–1940 period left a lasting legacy in political borders, international institutions, economic policy, science, and culture, shaping the course of the 20th century.