1910s1920s

The 1910s and 1920s refer to a dynamic period in world history spanning roughly 1910–1929. The 1910s were dominated by World War I, a global conflict triggered by imperial rivalries, nationalism, and militarism. The war involved major powers and colonies, produced unprecedented casualties, and ended with the Armistice of 1918. The 1919 Paris Peace Conference produced the Treaty of Versailles, which reshaped borders in Europe and the Middle East and established the League of Nations, though it also planted grievances that would fuel later conflicts. Political upheaval intensified with the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Bolshevik consolidation of power, and civil war, leading to the creation of the Soviet Union. The 1918 influenza pandemic killed millions and affected societies worldwide.

The 1920s were a decade of recovery, modernization, and cultural change. Economies recovered unevenly, with the United States experiencing rapid industrial growth and consumer expansion, while other regions faced instability. Social reforms proceeded in many countries, including women gaining suffrage in several places. Prohibition in the United States (1920–1933) reflected a broader shift in social norms. Technological and cultural innovations flourished: automobiles and aviation became common, radio and cinema transformed mass media, and artistic currents such as modernism, Dada, and Bauhaus influenced art and architecture. The era also saw significant political realignments and the consolidation of new national borders in Europe and the Middle East, alongside burgeoning nationalist and anti-colonial movements in colonies.

The period ended with the onset of economic vulnerability and speculative optimism that culminated in the stock market crash of 1929, signaling the transition into the Great Depression and a new international order in the 1930s.